Formula One lands in Europe for the first time this season, on a classic track that has made a comeback thanks to Covid, but was cancelled last season because of weather. Max Verstappen would have won it anyway. Talking of European, classic and Max Verstappen winning, our 2024 Emilia Romagna F1 Grand Prix Preview will give you a bit of everything without promising anything ahead of the upcoming big weekend of F1.
The Gurgler’s 2024 Emilia Romagna F1 Grand Prix Preview brings some thoughts on the race itself, a few bold predictions here and there, a more than a few barely interesting stats.
Essentially a quick summary of what a casual F1 fan needs in the shortest possible time for your convenience.
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The track map looks a bit like a seal, with only the ball for balancing on its nose missing.
It’s a classic track that features natural elevation, which tends to go missing on modern tracks or the many street tracks.
The straightened section on pit straight makes sense, and Acque Minerali with its dipping, rising challenge is good watching.
We’d love the Variante Alta chicane to be straightened too, then leading into a hairpin at Rivazza for a great late lap overtaking place.
But it is fast enough, and difficult enough to prove a challenge.
2024 Emilia Romagna F1 Grand Prix Preview – Race Rating
The Gurgler does like to use some obscure drivers in our Race previews and report, so who better to use than Teo Fabi to determine a race rating system.
So before each race we give a rating out of ten for four key category that are loosely based on each letter of Teo Fabi’s surname. Don’t know who Teo Fabi is, you should.
FAST? 7/10 – It’s fast enough with some good long straights. Safety improvements have seen the absurdly fast first third of the lap slowed down, but that’s probably a good thing in these cars.
ACTION? 5/10 – It’s a 50-50 track for action. Some of the great races remembered were back to back Alonso v Schumacher battles, but they were essentially a slightly slower car holding up a slightly faster one for 30 odd laps. Rain helps, and that does come every now and again. Too much last year. And the first corner will probably wipe out a few hopes.
BIG HISTORY? – 8/10 The race has had three different Grand Prix names – Italy, San Marino and its current title Emilia Romagna. Which beats San Marino, because the race is actually within the area of the name of the GP. Although, without this race, very few people would know San Marino existed. Sadly Imola is remembered for one F1’s worst days in 1994, but it has also seen the Turbo era of the 1980’s, the blaring V10’s of the 1990s, and a pile of Michael Schumacher wins. It goes back a while. The race returned in 2021 when Europe held a lot of races because of Covid.
INCLEMENT WEATHER? – 8/10 The Weather Channel says between 40% and 50% chance of rain and thunderstorms in the PM from Friday to Sunday. That’s very good to know.
RACE RATING 70% – It’s a good old track that will probably disappear soon for another race in America or the Middle East. So enjoy it while it lasts.
2024 Emilia Romagna F1 Grand Prix Preview – Stats
Want to know if your favourite driver for this weekend is a master of the track or the track is a master of them? Here then are some barely interesting facts and stats.
- The lowest qualifying position a driver has come from to win this race since 2001 is third. With a 50-50 split for the front row.
- George Russell is the only driver who has been at all three Emilia Romagna Grands Prix since 2020 who has not made it into Q3 at least once. He’s also DNFd 2/3 of those races.
- Good news for Daniel Ricciardo fans he has the fifth best average grid slot for this Grand Prix of the current drivers.
- A pole sitter has only missed out on a podium on once in ten races from 2001.
- If either Ferrari or Williams take pole at this race they will hold the pole position track record by themselves for the whole history of F1 races at Imola.
DRIVER GRID POSITION vs RACE RESULT – CURRENT DRIVERS
TEAM GRID POSITION vs RACE RESULT
HISTORIC DRIVER RESULTS
99 = a DNF. Grid position 20 is overstated as that was also used for cars starting in pitlane.
HISTORIC TEAM RESULTS
GRID POSITION INTO RACE RESULT
99 = a DNF. Grid position 20 is overstated as that was also used for cars starting in pitlane. Results from 2001.
- It will still be a Red Bull win and pole, but Lando Norris with give Max Verstappen a hard time in both. Oscar Piastri will qualify on the second row too.
- Lance Stroll will hit someone at the first chicane.
- It will be Logan Sargeant’s last race in an F1 car at Imola. He’ll be replaced after Monaco. If not before.
- Daniel Ricciardo will have a decent race and finish just outside the points, just before a career saving podium in Monaco.
- Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes will be rubbish and he will complain about it all race.
- Kick Sauber drivers will be as invisible as ever.
- Yuki Tsunoda will qualify 6th.
ALL RACE RESULTS – EMILIA ROMAGNA F1 GRAND PRIX AKA SAN MARINO GRAND PRIX
ALL TIME RESULTS
