F1 Picks: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Prediction, Preview, and Odds (May 21)
- First of two races in Italy on the F1 calendar is staged at Imola on May 21
- Max Verstappen landed victory for the second time in three years in 2022
The first of two stops in Italy on the Formula 1 schedule takes place on Sunday, May 21, as the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is staged. Given the location of the race, the pressure on Ferrari will intensify at Imola, and Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will be looking to give the home fans something to cheer about.
Schedule and How To Watch
- When: Sunday, May 21, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. ET
- Where: Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy
- How To Watch: ESPN
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Odds
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | |
| Sergio Perez | |
| Fernando Alonso | |
| Lewis Hamilton | |
| Charles Leclerc | |
| George Russell | |
| Carlos Sainz | |
| Lance Stroll |
Event Preview
It has been a grim start to the season for all of the teams up and down the grid aside from Red Bull, but the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix could be a race to offer hope to the other teams. The pace of the Red Bull may not be as much of a factor, with just one DRS Detection Zone located across the 4.909km track. A total of 63 laps will be completed to make up the 309.049km race distance, with 19 corners to navigate for the drivers.
However, Red Bull has a strong record at the track, having won each of the previous two editions. Max Verstappen claimed success last year, but the win was gifted to him after a mistake from Charles Leclerc when the Ferrari driver was leading by over ten seconds. The only other driver to have won the race was Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
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The Red Bull pair has dominated the early season races this season, with Verstappen claiming three victories and Sergio Perez claiming success in the other two. Evidence of their dominance was available in Miami, as Verstappen came from ninth on the grid to claim a straightforward success.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso took third, with George Russell finishing in fourth. The Mercedes pair certainly looked stronger than Ferrari in the United States, with Lewis Hamilton also finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc in sixth. However, the home fans will be hoping for a return to form for Ferrari at the first of their two home races.
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Prediction
The Red Bull dominance looks set to continue this weekend, but we could see Mercedes playing a key role at a track that looks set to suit their car. Therefore, we see Max Verstappen claiming success, but both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton may achieve podium finishes.
Free Pick:
- Podium: Lewis Hamilton
- Podium: George Russell
