Formula 1 heads into Free Practice 2 in Imola all eyes are on Oscar Piastri after the McLaren driver topped a tightly contested FP1 session as the he championship leader continued his fine form; setting a 1:16.545 to edge out his rivals by mere fractions. Will he keep it up? Find out as Total-Motorsport.com brings you live updates from FP2 at the F1 2025 Emilia Romagna GP.
While McLaren made a strong opening statement at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, the session revealed an ultra-competitive field with just 0.117s separating 17 of the 20 drivers from Piastri’s benchmark time.
Carlos Sainz impressed in the resurgent Williams to go third just behind Lando Norris, just 0.052s off the pace, while George Russell and Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top five for Mercedes and Ferrari respectively.
Red Bull, however, appeared to be struggling again, with Max Verstappen battling instability and nearly losing his car twice during his flying laps. It’s a continuing theme for the reigning champions, who seem to be chasing aerodynamic answers.
With FP2 coming up this afternoon, teams will be looking to convert early data into performance gains. Expect qualifying simulations and longer stints to dominate the session as the midfield battle intensifies — and the tiniest margins continue to separate the front from the rest.
And Total-Motorsport.com’s F1 2025 Emilia Romagna GP live updates for Free Practice 2 will offer fans unparalleled insight into team strategies, reliability concerns, and potential frontrunners. So stay tuned with us as FP2 at the F1 2025 Emilia Romagna GP unfolds live from Imola in Italy.
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Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
F1 Emilia Romagna GP 2025 Free Practice 2 LIVE: Latest Updates
RESULTS: Check out the order from FP2 at the F1 2025 Emilia Romagna GP
McLaren and Oscar Piastri did it again at Imola as the Australian was top of the Emilia Romagna GP 2025 Free Practice 2 results, just ahead of teammate Lando Norriswith Pierre Gasly in the Alpine third fastest in the second practice session of the F1 weekend.
The Australian clocked a best time of 1:15.293, edging out Lando Norris by just 0.025s as the pair proved untouchable in both sessions.
Find out how everyone else lined up behind them below:
SESSION ENDS: Oscar Piastri tops FP2 in Imola
Oscar Piastri goes two-for-two in Friday Free Practice sessions as he tops the times at the F1 2025 Emilia Romagna GP for the second time on May 16 ahead of Lando Norris.
The Australian edged out his McLaren colleague by just 0.025 in Imola as their finally turned the wick up on their MCL39 package, opening up a 0.276 gap to Pierre Gasly behind.
That advantage grew to 0.400 for the likes of George Russell, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc, proving the papaya cars are still the class of the field.
Will they convert it into pole on Saturday, or will their rivals respond?
GREEN FLAG: Session resumes with two minutes to go
The drivers might just about get one lap in before the flag falls, but most of them will be out there to focus on the practice starts in Imola.
Don’t expect any changes to the timing boards as the clock ticks down to zero.
RED FLAG: Six minutes to go: Hadjar out of session
Isack Hadjar loses his Racing Bull car on the exit of Tamburello and spins on the exit kerb, skidding across the track and tagging the barrier.
The car is in one piece, but he can’t get the vehicle out of the gravel and his afternoon comes to a slightly premature end in Italy.
A rookie’s mistake, but he will be back tomorrow morning without much of a problem.
11 minutes to go: Great racing between Colapinto and Norris
Franco Colapinto is brushing up on his wheel-to-wheel action as he successfully fends off Lando Norris after the McLaren made a lunge down the inside into Turns 5 and 6, eventually claiming the line into Tosa.
One lap later he’s then got Max Verstappen in his mirrors and manages to fend off the world champion’s Red Bull too.
He hasn’t lost any of his feisty energy from his Williams stint, but he does need to find a bit more time. He’s currently 13th.
14 minutes to go: Antonelli angry with Tsunoda
“That’s super dangerous from the Red Bull,” says an exasperated Kimi Antonelli over the radio!
He had to take avoiding measures to ensure he didn’t crash into the back of Yuki Tsunoda on the run down to Turns 5 and 6.
Antonelli is 18th at the moment, whilst Tsunoda is eighth.
20 minutes to go: McLarens still king
Drivers are now onto the long runs so don’t expect the times to come tumbling down anytime soon.
It’s still Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the top of the pile for McLaren, 0.276 ahead of Pierre Gasly’s Alpine in third.
It seems they’re enjoying a pace advantage over the rest of the field when it comes to one lap, but there’s still time for that to change.
25 minutes to go: Scathing comments from Leclerc
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are not enjoying their SF-25 in the slightest and the worrying thing for Ferrari is they’re complaining of different problems.
Hamilton has issues with his brakes and Leclerc is currently demanding improvements in a range of different corners, insisting they’re “critical” for the rest of the weekend.
Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz says Ferrari have launched an investigation into the brakes and now Hamilton is back out on track.
30 minutes to go: McLaren 1-2 in Imola
Now McLaren show their hand a little bit more as Oscar Piastri goes to the top of the times with a 1:15.293 ahead of Lando Norris by 0.025.
They’re 0.276 ahead of Pierre Gasly, the next closest car on the soft tyres and Norris just aborted a lap after setting a purple middle sector, suffering a slide in Turn 18.
32 minutes to go: Brake issues for Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton continues to be frustrated with his Ferrari as he battles to understand the new brakes on the SF-25 in Imola.
He’s all the way down in 14th!
“These damn brakes mate,” Hamilton says over the team radio. “Urgh, these brakes are a problem.”
36 minutes to go: Verstappen on the softs too
Mercedes and Red Bull seem very close together in Imola.
Max Verstappen edges close to George Russell’s time and misses out by just 0.042, but is there more lap time to play around with for the defending champion in Italy?
Yuki Tsunoda then goes 0.134 off in the sister Red Bull, under a tenth behind his teammate. That will be a big confidence boost.
Russell remains top of the boards.
40 minutes to go: Mercedes get into the mix
George Russell straps on a pair of the soft tyres and posts a 1:15.693, beating McLaren’s Lando Norris by 0.259; who ran the medium. That’s not a great look for Mercedes, although we don’t know their engine mode and fuel levels.
Then comes Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon in Imola, Williams continuing their electric start to the weekend as they lead Oscar Piastri.
Is their pace for real?
46 minutes to go: Rocky start for Hamilton
Replays show that Lewis Hamilton dipped a wheel into the gravel a few moments ago and if that didn’t frustrate him, what happened next will…
As he goes on his next lap, he finds two cars ahead of him blocking him. Gabriel Bortoleto’s Sauber is the first offender, getting in the way of the Brit at Turns 11-13.
Then Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull is the next to do so, shortly after the Variante Alta (Turn 14 and 15).
Those would have been penalties on Saturday.
48 minutes to go: Just like that, McLaren take over
Not keen to sit off the top of the timing boards for long, Lando Norris now makes sure McLaren are on top of the pile.
His 1:15.952 is enough to beat Carlos Sainz by 0.040.
They’re both on the medium compound, which was the soft tyre in 2024.
50 minutes to go: Everyone’s on the board: Who’s fastest?
Williams are the team leading the way after the first 10 minutes of this FP2 session, opening up a surprising 1-2 lead at the top of the timing boards.
Carlos Sainz’s heads Alex Albon by 0.067 and then comes the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
It’s looking like a very competitive weekend from the early doors.
52 minutes to go: Colapinto impedes Alonso
That’s the second time this Friday that Fernando Alonso has had to avoid a crash at the Imola Circuit, this time having to slam on to avoid Franco Colapinto’s Alpine.
The young man from Argentina will need to open his eyes and sharpen up soon if he wants to avoid any penalties in qualifying on Saturday.
55 minutes to go: Ocon still in the pits
We have all but one of the 20 F1 cars out on track at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari at the moment, with Esteban Ocon being the only driver in the pits.
There’s no immediate issue however, it’s simply a slower start for the Haas driver.
GREEN FLAG: Free Practice 2 begins in Italy
Sauber are the first out on the track, keen to make full use of this one hour session that will let them project their race simulations. Closely following them are the likes of Williams, Ferrari and Aston Martin.
Will we see McLaren pegged back this FP2 session, or will they cement their status at the summit of the F1 grid?
Here’s how FP1 shaped up earlier today
It’s looking promising For McLaren once again but they have to make sure they’re on top of the opposition if they hope to stay ahead of a very close pack.
Could Carlos Sainz and Williams be on for a spectacular result?
And is Lewis Hamilton finally figuring out how to drive his Ferrari car?
Franco Colapinto is back in Formula 1: How will he do in FP2?
After a couple of impeding incidents, Franco Colapinto seems to be getting back up to speed in Formula 1 after finishing ahead of three cars in FP1.
Will he take the step forwards Flavio Briatore is looking for by getting closer to Pierre Gasly in FP2?
Jack Doohan will be hoping not if he aims to get back into that seat in the future.
Welcome to the blog for Free Practice 2 in Imola!
It’s Oscar Piastri in the ascendancy at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari as the championship leader led FP1 ahead of his McLaren colleague, Lando Norris.
But it’s a very tight field close behind so will the rest of the pack manage to spring a surprise by leaping ahead of the of the runaway constructors’ leaders? Or will they assert the pace they showed in Miami last time out?
Find out here with Total-Motorsport.com as we bring you live updates from FP2 at the F1 2025 Emilia Romagna GP.
Where to Watch 2025 Emilia Romagna GP FP2?
For viewers in the United States, 2025 Emilia Romagna GP Free Practice 2 will be shown on ESPN2, with streaming coverage via ESPN+.
In the UK, all sessions, including 2025 Emilia Romagna GP FP2 are available on Sky Sports F1. And fans in Australia can catch all the action from Imola on Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, and Foxtel.
What time is FP2 at the 2025 Emilia Romagna GP?
Free Practice 2 for the 2025 Emilia Romagna GP begins at 5:00pm local time on Friday at Imola. That means a similar start for F1 fans in the UK, where FP1 begins at 4:00pm on Friday afternoon.
Over in the USA, the 2025 Emilia Romagna GP FP2 session from Imola begins at 11:30am ET on Friday morning, which means an early morning 7:30am PT start for those on the West Coast.
