One Bold Prediction for Every F1 Team for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
- Matt Hylen
- 5 hours ago
- 10 min read
For what may be the last time for the foreseeable future, F1 travels to Imola, Italy for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Round 7 of the 2025 F1 season features 63 laps around the 19-corner track. Though it is quite difficult to overtake around Imola due to its narrow track and one DRS zone, we have seen some fireworks here in the past. Eight teams are rolling out new car parts and bringing upgrades to their cars this weekend as well, which could help set up for a potentially interesting weekend.
As always, before we get into my bold predictions for this weekend, a couple things to mention:
Formula One has two main championship competitions. The first is the Drivers' Championship, which is a competition between the drivers' individual performance. On a non-Sprint style weekend, the drivers who finish in the top 10 in each race will score points (the higher you place, the more points you get). These points are added up, and whichever driver finishes with the most points at the end of the season will win the Drivers' Championship.
The next is the Constructors' Championship, a competition between the teams. The number of points the drivers within a team get each race is combined, creating the total points for the team (e.g., Lando Norris has scored 115 points, and Oscar Piastri has scored 131 points, giving the McLaren team 246 points in the Constructors' Championship). The team whose drivers accumulate the most points combined for their team will win the Constructors' Championship.
Now here is a look at the standings for both Championships:
Drivers' Championship Standings:
Oscar Piastri 131 points
Lando Norris 115 points
Max Verstappen 99 points
George Russell 93 points
Charles Leclerc 53 points
Andrea Kimi Antonellii 48 points
Lewis Hamilton 41 points
Alexander Albon 30 points
Esteban Ocon 14 points
Lance Stroll 14 points
Yuki Tsunoda 9 points
Pierre Gasly 7 points
Carlos Sainz 7 points
Nico Hulkenberg 6 points
Oliver Bearman 6 points
Isak Hadjar 5 points
Fernando Alonso 0 points
Liam Lawson 0 points
Jack Doohan 0 points
Gabriel Bortoletto 0 points
Constructors' Championship Standings:
McLaren 246 points
Mercedes 141 points
Red Bull 105 points
Ferrari 94 points
Williams 37 points
Haas 20 points
Aston Martin 14 points
Racing Bulls 8 points
Alpine 7 points
Kick Sauber 6 points
Standings were found at F1.com.Â
DISCLAIMER: These predictions are educated guesses based on each team's performance thus far this year, and the upgrades they have brought to their car. As we all know, anything can happen on race day!
Neither Alpine Drivers will make it into Q2
Coming into this weekend, Alpine does not have much in terms of expectations. Last weekend, for the Sprint, Jack Doohan qualified 17th and finished 16th, while Pierre Gasly qualified 13th and finished 8th. For the Grand Prix, Doohan qualified 14th and did not finish the race, while Gasly qualified 18th and finished 13th.
As we know, Jack Doohan will be replaced by Argentinian youngster Franco Colapinto. The former Williams driver-turned-Alpine-affiliate this year, signed a 5-race contract to be the driver alongside Pierre Gasly. Since the team and car will be brand new to him this weekend, I just do not see Colapinto making waves in Imola. Sure, he's young and has shown he has the ability to get more out of a car than what meets the eye, but this Alpine car is definitely worse than the Williams he drove last year, which makes it even harder to believe Colapinto will exceed expectations this weekend.
As for Gasly, though the team has introduced a reprofiled front wing and flap to evenly distribute loading across its span, along with a reprofiled rear bodywork panel to enhance airflow at the rear of the car, I do not think it will be enough for him to make it out of Q2. Alpine has shown much more race pace than qualifying pace this year, so maybe Gasly will make it up in the race; however, I think it will be a tough weekend for Alpine.
Aston Martin will score at least One Point this Weekend
Though I have no real evidence supporting why I am predicting this, I have a feeling that Fernando Alonso is due for a great weekend. Last time out, for the Sprint, Lance Stroll qualified 16th and finished 5th, while Fernando Alonso qualified 10th but did not finish the race. For the Grand Prix, Stroll qualified 19th and finished 16th (last due to DNFs), while Alonso qualified 17th and finished 15th.
A string of good luck resulted in a few points for Aston Martin last weekend, and I am banking on that to continue in Imola. Yes, the car is horrific and will likely stay that way the rest of the season, but the team has brought the most upgrades this weekend. These upgrades include modifications to the halo, floor body, fences, and edges, the diffuser, the engine cover, and the beam wing in order to help the car around the Imola track.
Stroll has gotten lucky with the points he's scored this year, while Alonso has yet to score a single point. Alonso is due, and I think he outperforms the car this weekend and scrapes away with a point this weekend.
Ferrari get Outscored by Williams
Ferrari went from bad to worse in Miami, with no true end to their downfall in sight. Last time out, for the Sprint, Charles Leclerc qualified 6th but did not start the race (crashed on his way to the grid), while Lewis Hamilton qualified 7th and finished 3rd. For the Grand Prix, Leclerc qualified 8th and finished 7th, while Hamilton qualified 12th and finished 8th.
As Hamilton has mentioned time and time again, the Ferrari car is just not there right now. The pace is extremely far off from McLaren, Mercedes, and Max Verstappen's Red Bull, with the team even falling behind Williams last year. Ferrari have carried over last year's track-specific modifications to their rear and beam wing for the higher downforce demands of Imola, but that simply won't be enough.
Both Leclerc and Hamilton have voiced their frustration not only with the car but with the team. The team orders have been indecisive thus far, last weekend being a prime example. No one at Ferrari looks to be on the same page, which is extremely concerning for a team that is falling behind in terms of overall pace. Unlike last weekend, I have no faith in Ferrari heading into Imola.
Both Haas Drivers Finish in the Top-12
Haas disappointed once again in Imola, as their poor qualifying pace ruined another chance at a solid result. Last weekend, for the Sprint, Esteban Ocon qualified and finished 12th, while Ollie Bearman qualified 20th and finished 14th. For the Grand Prix, Ocon qualified 9th and finished 12th, while Bearman qualified 20th and did not finish the race due to an engine issue.
First off, Bearman's qualifying pace is extremely concerning. Yes, he has shown this year he can do it, but finishing LAST in both qualifying sessions last weekend is not a good sign whatsoever. You can see in the races that he had very good pace and overtaking ability, it is just the fact that he has to overtake so many cars if he wants a solid finish. He needs to be better in qualifying; if he is, I am sure that we will see a great result for Bearman this weekend.
As for Ocon, he just needs to keep doing what he did last weekend in Miami. The upgrades to the shape of their underfloor to provide cleaner delivery of airflow to the rear and higher energy extraction from the floor should help, but inconsistency has been the story of Ocon's season thus far. He has shown that whenever he finishes well in qualifying, he can relatively maintain that level of production in the race, he just needs to get there.
Both Kick Sauber Drivers Make it into Q2
Kick Sauber exceeded expectations last time out and could possibly do it again with their semi-decent qualifying pace. Last weekend, for the Sprint, Gabriel Bortoletto qualified 19th and finished 15th, while Nico Hulkenberg qualified 11th and finished 9th. For the Grand Prix, Bortoletto qualified 13th and did not finish the race due to an engine failure, while Hulkenberg qualified 16th and finished 14th.
Though I still do believe Kick Sauber is the worst car on the grid, it has shown flashes of quickness at times. Last weekend, we saw Hulkenberg qualify 11th and almost finish in the points in the Sprint. Bortoletto also managed to get the car into Q2 during the main race qualifying session. Even without a reported upgrade this weekend, I think both drivers are talented enough to outperform the car in qualifying and produce a solid qualy result for their standards.
McLaren Complete the Weekend Sweep
McLaren are coming off another dominant weekend and are primed for another one in Imola. Last time out, for the Sprint, Lando Norris qualified 3rd and finished 1st, while Oscar Piastri qualified and finished 2nd. For the Grand Prix, Norris qualified and finished 2nd, while Piastri qualified 4th and won the race.
No one was even close to the pace of McLaren last weekend. They are so above and beyond the rest of the grid, to the point where it is hard to believe they will lose a race anytime soon. Of course, anything can happen in F1, as all it takes is one mistake and your race is ruined, but McLaren have been pretty mistake-free for the most part. Sure, Piastri made a mistake in Australia, while Norris' couple of mistakes cost him the Drivers' Championship lead, but it has not yet hindered their chances whatsoever.
For those of you who may not know what I mean by a weekend sweep, a weekend sweep is a term used when a team finishes first in every session (all qualifying sessions and the race) while also producing the fastest lap during the race. With numerous upgrades to help with aerodynamic efficiency, McLaren's pace is so far ahead of everyone else to the point that the only thing stopping them is themselves.
Kimi Antonelli get his First Podium at His Home Race
Mercedes, though not producing the results they were hoping for, had another great weekend last time out. For the Sprint, George Russell qualified 5th and finished 4th, while Kimi Antonelli qualified 1st and finished 7th. For the Grand Prix, Russell qualified 5th and finished 3rd, while Antonelli qualified 3rd and finished 6th.
This weekend will mark the first home race of Kimi Antonelli's career, and it could not have come at a better time. The young driver is coming off his first-ever pole position finish and has looked quicker and quicker with every race. If he puts everything together this weekend like he did in Miami, and avoids the mistakes he is prone to making, Antonelli could be set for another great weekend.
Mercedes are also bringing upgrades to the front end of their car, which should help in overall downforce and performance. The car has looked great all season long, allowing both drivers to remain among the top in terms of podium contention.
Both Racing Bulls Drivers have Q1 Exists
VCARB had a disappointing weekend last time out, which I do not think changes this weekend. Last weekend, for the Sprint, Liam Lawson qualified 14th and finished 13th, while Isak Hadjar qualified 9th and finished 10th. For the Grand Prix, Lawson qualified 15th and did not finish the race after damaging his floor in the first corner of the race, while Hadjar qualified and finished 11th.
This may be my boldest prediction of the bunch, but I just have a weird feeling that neither VCARB driver will find the pace in qualifying. A significant upgrade package is coming to the car for the first time this season, as they are modifying the floor and bodywork of the car to improve aerodynamic efficiency.
I can absolutely see a world where VCARB exceeds expectations this weekend, but I am sticking with my gut, and basing my prediction on the fact that both VCARB drivers have been prone to mistakes this year and their aggressiveness will get the better of them.
Both Red Bull Drivers finish in the Top-5
Despite the fault being mostly theirs, Red Bull had an extremely challenging weekend last time out. In Miami, for the Sprint, Yuki Tsunoda qualified 18th (started from the pit lane) and finished 6th, while Max Verstappen qualified 4th and finished 17th after receiving a 10-second penalty for an unsafe pit lane release. For the Grand Prix, Tsunoda qualified and finished in 10th, whereas Verstappen qualified 1st and finished 4th.
I feel like Imola will be a perfect track for not only Verstappen to succeed, but for Tsunoda as well. At a track like Imola, the driver talent will matter much more than the pace of the car. This causes drivers who may not have a fast car to produce at a high level. I think Yuki will be one of those drivers this weekend. Red Bull are also bringing a solid upgrade package, this time to their aerodynamic internal structure, which should help create more downforce and better performance.
Tsunoda as a whole has been solid for Red Bull. He has not finished near Verstappen in any race, but has done just enough to score a point or two whenever he has finished a race. We all know how challenging that second Red Bull seat is to drive, and for the most part, I think Tsunoda has done a solid job. He is due for a breakout weekend; Imola could be that, in my eyes.
Carlos Sainz Outperforms Alex Albon for Williams
Williams are coming off a fantastic weekend last time out, as they looked to clearly be the 4th-fastest car. In Miami, for the Sprint, Carlos Sainz qualified 15th and did not finish the race after colliding with the wall, while Alex Albon qualified 8th and finished 11th. For the Grand Prix, Sainz qualified 6th and finished 9th, while Albon qualified 7th and finished 4th.
I think Imola will be the weekend Sainz breaks out. It is only a matter of time before he outperforms his teammate Alex Albon. Yes, Albon has been amazing this season, so just because I believe Sainz will have a better weekend does not mean he won't have a good weekend himself.
With that said, Sainz has looked more and more comfortable with his new team with every race weekend that goes by, and has slowly but surely been gaining on Albon. At a track that suits his driving style, Sainz is primed for another great weekend, even without any car upgrades.
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Until next time!
-Matt Hylen