Hello and welcome to this Total Motorsport live blog for Free Practice 3 at the F1 2025 Emilia Romagna GP from Imola as teams and drivers make final preparations for the first Formula 1 race of the European season at one of the most storied circuits in F1 history.
McLaren are the team to beat in Imola after Oscar Piastri led a one-two for the papaya squad in both practice sessions on Friday with Lando Norris not too far behind. The rest of the F1 field looks extremely competitive with Williams and Alpine showing good pace in FP1 and FP2, while Mercedes also seem quick.
It was a tough day for Max Verstappen and Red Bull who were off the pace set by McLaren, while Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari was complaining about brake issues on Friday.
Total-Motorsport.com’s F1 2025 Emilia Romagna GP live updates for Free Practice 3 will offer fans unparalleled insight into team strategies, reliability concerns, and potential frontrunners. So stay tuned with us as FP3 at the F1 2025 Emilia Romagna GP unfolds live from Imola in Italy.
F1 Emilia Romagna GP 2025 Free Practice 3 LIVE: Latest Updates
RESULTS: Find out the order ahead of qualifying
McLaren and Lando Norris were imperious at Imola as the Brit was top of the Emilia Romagna GP 2025 Free Practice 3 results, just ahead of teammate Oscar Piastri this time with Max Verstappen in the Red Bull third fastest in the final practice session of the F1 weekend.
Despite two late runs, Verstappen remained 0.181s off Norris’ benchmark and will need to regroup ahead of qualifying if he’s to threaten for pole.
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Here’s the results below:
CHEQUERED FLAG: Norris pips Piastri
Lando Norris stops Oscar Piastri’s perfect weekend by beating his McLaren teammate by just a single tenth at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari on Saturday morning, ahead of qualifying.
His 1:14.897 leads the Australian and Max Verstappen in third, the defending champion sitting just 0.181 back but on the medium tyre. Could the Red Bull be a threat in qualifying? Track position here is key.
And it wasn’t a smooth session for everyone either, with lots of drivers, including the top three, heading through the gravel showing that the conditions aren’t quite perfect
Eyes now turn to qualifying at 16:00 local (CET) time, will it be McLaren or Red Bull starting Sunday’s Grand Prix from the front?
Six minutes to go: Big error from Norris
Lando Norris heads for a big trip through the gravel in Turns 2 and 3 after tagging the grass on entry and ruins his set of soft tyres.
He won’t want to do that in qualifying later on. For now, he gets away with it.
And he’s not the only one testing the gravel either, Lewis Hamilton does and suspects he could have floor damage.
10 minutes to go: Antonelli finds some speed
On the balance of it, Mercedes seem out of contention when it comes to racing McLaren but Kimi Antonelli has just managed to get himself up to fourth overall.
He’s half a second down on Lando Norris’ time. Both on the softs.
It’s a solid effort from the Italian youngster, born and raised in nearby Bologna meaning this Emilia Romagna GP weekend is his home race.
15 minutes to go: Norris top as qualifying simulations begin
Lando Norris heads to the top of the timing boards with a 1:14.897 on the soft tyres to clear Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.181 and his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, by 0.376.
Both the latter pair made mistakes on their laps, dipping into the gravel as they try to find out where the limit of the grip is.
But it also does seem hard to find some extra lap time, meaning Norris’ lap can’t be ignored.
17 minutes to go: Russell not happy with his Mercedes
George Russell scoops up a slide on entry to the Variante Alta (Turns 14 and 15) after his Mercedes hit a bump on the circuit.
The Brit complains the ride height is definitely worse than Friday.
Let’s see how the Silver Arrows respond to that when it comes to qualifying.
20 minutes to go: Scary moment for Carlos Sainz
Carlos Sainz heads down the pit lane to begin his out-lap but suddenly has to use his cat-like reactions to avoid Isack Hadjar, who set off on a practice start.
The pair both reacted promptly and avoided an accident, and Racing Bulls’ Hadjar takes responsibility for the moment.
Meanwhile, the Williams driver doesn’t seem to have said anything.
24 minutes to go: Hamilton visibly frustrated with Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton heads into the Variante Alta (Turns 14/15) and all seems fine with his braking point and racing line selection, but the car will just not turn.
He throws his hand up from his steering wheel in absolute bewilderment as to how the car is behaving.
Are the braking issues both drivers complained about carrying over into Saturday?
27 minutes to go: Verstappen reigning supreme
Max Verstappen continues to lead the way at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari as the clock ticks past the halfway point, with his 1:15.078 leading Lando Norris in the McLaren by 0.191. Isack Hadjar in the Racing Bulls package is 0.430 off.
Is the defending world champion in the hunt for pole?
Remember that track position here is crucial for dictating the tempo of the race with just the one DRS zone.
30 minutes to go: Huge spin for Lawson!
Liam Lawson drops it at the exit of Turns 2 and 3, very similar to what his teammate, Isack Hadjar, did on Friday.
Fortunately, the Kiwi keeps the car out of the gravel with some solid car control and he keeps himself in the session.
The Racing Bulls youngster has ruined that set of tyres though…
33 minutes to go: Russell reports a bouncing problem
George Russell reports an unusual amount of bouncing on his Mercedes car in Sector 1.
He adds it isn’t performance limiting, but that it’s odd.
The Silver Arrows will no doubt investigate.
35 minutes to go: Hadjar to the top!
That’s an excellent lap from Isack Hadjar, who goes to the top of the times and beats Charles Leclerc’s time by 0.021! The Racing bulls star has struggled off his Friday crash.
Can he keep this momentum going into qualifying? That kind of pace could score him a huge result this weekend.
37 minutes to go: Alonso almost hits Leclerc
Charles Leclerc is going slowly at the exit of the second Rivazza as he plans to head back into the pits and Fernando Alonso is going slowly close behind.
But the Aston Martin driver suddenly floors it straight at his gearbox and has to steer to the left to avoid a huge crash.
Not really sure what Formula 1’s oldest driver was thinking there, but he blames the Ferrari anyway.
40 minutes to go: Verstappen sets the benchmark
Max Verstappen is now the man to beat at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, with the defending world champion posting a 1:15.579 to beat Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri by 0.77 and 0.254 respectively.
That’s the kind of speed the Dutchman’s looking to get out of the car ahead of qualifying later this Saturday. He’s almost a second up on his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.
Replays show having a moment on his lap, but all is okay for the New Zealander.
44 minutes to go: More cars out on track
Now 11 cars have a lap time on the board, and Oscar Piastri is just heading out onto the track. What can the championship leader do in Imola?
There’s still no sign of the Red Bulls or Mercedes cars at the moment.
48 minutes to go: Did McLaren test a new wing on Norris?
Lando Norris did one lap at the start of FP3 and he was on the hard tyres, something unusual in a session that isn’t particularly representative.
Now Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz has identified a rear wing change going on in Norris’ McLaren garage.
Did they test a new design for an upcoming race? Perhaps with the Spanish GP technical directive, clamping down on flexing, in mind?
50 minutes to go: Hamilton to the top of the times
We only have two lap times on the board at the moment and Lewis Hamilton leads Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber.
The Ferrari’s 1:16.893 clears Hulkenberg’s time by 1.022 seconds.
There will be more to come from the rest of the grid. Hopefully shortly.
55 minutes to go: We have a second car on track
Lando Norris did come into the pits at the end of the last lap and now the second driver has joined the circuit.
Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin has just gone past Tosa on an out-lap.
Let’s see what the Canadian has to offer.
GREEN FLAG: Free Practice 2 begins in Imola
McLaren are wasting no time as they head out onto the Imola circuit for this one hour FP3 session at the Emilia Romagna GP.
Lando Norris is the first man out, he’s on the hards.
This might just be an installation lap.
REPORT: Missed what happened on Friday? Catch up below
McLaren picked up the pace in FP2 but the chasing pack aren’t a million miles away.
Will they be reeled in? Find out how Free Practice 2 at the Emilia Romagna GP played out below:
What happens if you make a mistake? Isack Hadjar shows you…
Imola’s natural track limits punish drivers for making the slightest mistake if they dip a wheel or the gravel.
And Isack Hadjar shows you just exactly what can happen if you make an error at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Welcome to the blog for FP3!
Free Practice 3 is the last chance drivers have to get their eyes dialled in at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola ahead of qualifying later on Saturday.
Who will show their pace and who will have questions hanging over their heads?
Oscar Piastri enters with the momentum after topping FP1 and FP2 on Friday for McLaren, but can Lando Norris respond?
Where to Watch 2025 Emilia Romagna GP FP3?
For viewers in the United States, 2025 Emilia Romagna GP Free Practice 3 will be shown on ESPN2, with streaming coverage via ESPN+.
In the UK, all sessions, including 2025 Emilia Romagna GP FP3 are available on Sky Sports F1. And fans in Australia can catch all the action on Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, and Foxtel.
What time is FP3 at the 2025 Emilia Romagna GP?
Free Practice 3 for the 2025 Emilia Romagna GP begins at 12:30pm local time on Saturday at Imola. That means a similar start for F1 fans in the UK, where FP1 begins at 11:30am on Saturday morning.
Over in the USA, the 2025 Emilia Romagna GP FP3 session from Imola begins at 6:30am ET on Saturday morning, which means a very early morning 3:30am PT start for those on the West Coast.
