Current form
McLaren were a commanding force last time out in Miami, with Oscar Piastri leading team mate Lando Norris in a 1-2 finish that saw Piastri cross the line a staggering 37.644s ahead of third-placed George Russell.
This result bolstered Piastri’s advantage at the top of the Drivers’ Championship, where the Australian now holds a total of 131 points to sit 16 points clear of Norris in second while Max Verstappen is on 99 in third.
Last year’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix confirmed McLaren’s step forward as Norris took the fight to Verstappen right to the end – but with the team being the hunted rather than the hunter this time around, can they continue to hold off their rivals this weekend?
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Speaking of Verstappen, the Dutchman has good form at Imola, having won three of F1’s four visits to the track since it returned to the calendar in 2020. And as his pole position in Miami outlined, the Red Bull driver can never be discounted.
Elsewhere, Mercedes bounced back from a slightly weaker outing in Saudi Arabia with Russell’s podium at the Miami International Autodrome. As rookie Kimi Antonelli prepares to race in front of his home crowd for the first time this weekend, can the Silver Arrows give the Italian fans something to cheer about?
And in terms of local supporters, this will also be Ferrari’s first race on home soil of the season – as well as marking Lewis Hamilton’s debut Italian event since switching to the Scuderia. What can the home favourites achieve at Imola?
Other headlines include the return of Franco Colapinto, who replaces Jack Doohan at Alpine for the next five rounds. Will the driver change have an impact in what remains a tight battle in the midfield?
