Watch F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix — Practice 3 Free.

What's at Stake

The final practice session at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari represents the last opportunity for teams to refine their setups before the high-stakes qualifying session. On a narrow, historic circuit like Imola where overtaking is notoriously difficult, securing a front-row start is often the deciding factor for Sunday's podium. Drivers will focus on perfecting their tire warm-up procedures and finding the limit through the technical chicane sectors.

Form Guide

Heading into the 2026 European season, the field has shown increasing parity as teams bring their first major aerodynamic upgrade packages of the year. Recent sessions suggest a tight battle at the front, with the leading three teams separated by less than two-tenths of a second. Momentum is key at this stage, as drivers look to build confidence on the softest tire compounds following the data gathered during Friday's long runs.

Key Players to Watch

• Max Verstappen — The defending champion historically excels at Imola and will be looking to assert dominance after any early weekend setup struggles.
• Charles Leclerc — As the home favorite for Ferrari, his ability to extract maximum performance over a single lap makes him the benchmark for qualifying pace.
• Lando Norris — With McLaren’s recent upward trajectory on high-downforce tracks, he remains a constant threat to the established front-runners.

Prediction

Expect a frantic final ten minutes as the track rubbers in and everyone completes their qualifying simulations. Max Verstappen is likely to top the timing screens by a slim margin, leveraging his precision through the Acque Minerali section. However, the gap to the chasing Ferrari and McLaren cars will be negligible, setting the stage for one of the closest qualifying sessions of the season.