Defying predictions, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix started at perfect race time, with changed crash areas and a team featuring numerous improvements.
The first free practice session was full of mistakes, with an unusually high number of visits to the gravel bed, skids and spins. First Max Verstappen, then Yuki Tsunoda licked the edge of the freshly installed gravel, and shortly afterwards the engine stalled under Alexander Albon, causing a short red flag phase. After the restart, we could see countless mistakes, first Oliver Bearman, who was joining FP1, was thrown by the wheel spinner, and then Daniel Ricciardo made a short visit to the gravel. The most spectacular move was undoubtedly Lewis Hamilton, who spun the Mercedes by pushing it past one of the corner exits, and then routinely saved the situation. Meanwhile, the two Ferraris and George Russell took turns at the lead, but the Red Bulls were noticeably slow, and Max Verstappen made many mistakes that were not really typical of him. The Dutchman, with a slight exaggeration, spent more time in the gravel than on the track... Charles Leclerc ended the first practice session in the lead, ahead of Russell and Carlos Sainz.
