2024 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix preview: timings, how to watch, and more

Hot topics ahead of the 2024 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix

After 110 races, Lando Norris finally became a grand prix winner in Miami as he gave McLaren its first grand prix victory since the Italian Grand Prix in 2021. Norris and the team can take confidence from the fact that they were able to beat Verstappen on track with some hugely influential performance upgrades. He had the reigning champion under pressure even before the safety car came out.

The Woking-based outfit was the quickest on the day; Norris enjoyed a full upgrade package to power him to the win, while team-mate Oscar Piastri’s 50 per cent upgrade helped him take the fastest lap and run a promising race until a collision with Carlos Sainz scuppered his chances and saw him come home in 13^th. The Australian driver will join his team-mate in enjoying the full package of upgrades at Imola.

McLaren now sits third in the constructors’ championship; 60 points clear of Mercedes in fourth, and with these upgrades, will be hoping it can continue to challenge Red Bull on the track. The championship leader has already lost more races in the first six rounds of this year (two), than it did throughout the entirety of last season, though the fact that Miami was not the team's greatest weekend should serve as some relief. Verstappen is sure to renew the pressure in Imola.

Upgrades are also incoming for Ferrari. A home race for the Italians always brings the expectations of the adoring tifosi, so the team will be looking towards their aerodynamic reworkings to cut the pace deficit to Red Bull. Charles Leclerc finished third in Miami, almost ten seconds off the lead, with team-mate Carlos Sainz a further seven seconds back in fifth. The Spaniard is still working out his options to be on the grid in 2025, so the pressure will be on once again this weekend.

Mercedes is equally under pressure, currently fourth in the constructors’ championship with George Russell’s fifth place finish at the opening weekend in Bahrain still the team’s best result. He and Lewis Hamilton are in need of some consistency, a first round of upgrades came in Miami with minimal effect, and more will arrive this weekend, however they are facing an uphill struggle to rectify what has been an alarmingly poor start to yet another season – for every step forward this team takes, the competition are only growing stronger.

When can I watch the 2024 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix?

A return to Europe means more comfortable start times for viewers in the United Kingdom. Action in Imola kicks off on Friday with free practice one at 12:30 UK time (13:30 local time) and free practice two at 16:00 (17:00). The final practice session on Saturday starts at 11:30 (12:30) ahead of qualifying at 15:00 (16:00).

Lights out for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix is at 14:00 UK time (15:00) on Sunday 19^th May.

How to watch the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix

Sky Sports retains exclusive rights to all live coverage of F1 in the UK. Every session of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix will be shown live and uninterrupted on Sky Sports F1.

US viewers can catch all the action on ESPN, and Australian audiences can watch on Kayo Sports. The F1 TV Pro app will also provide coverage of every F1 session across the weekend to several countries the world over.

Which series are supporting in Imola?

Both Formula 2 and Formula 3 return for their fourth and third rounds respectively, having been absent from the schedule since Melbourne back in March. Zane Maloney continues to lead the F2 standings after a third place finish in Australia’s feature race, while Luke Browning is now tied at the top of the F3 standings with Leonardo Fornaroli, after the Italian driver took second in the last feature race.

F2 and F3 will run their free practice sessions on Friday morning before qualifying that afternoon. Saturday sees the F3 sprint race commence at 09:05 (10:05) followed by the F2 sprint race at 13:15 UK time (14:15 local time).

The F3 feature race starts at 07:30 (08:30) on Sunday morning, before the F2 feature race concludes the support programme at 09:00 (10:00).

F1 Academy returns at the Spanish Grand Prix at the end of June, where Abbi Pulling will seek to further extend her championship advantage.

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.