F1: Leclerc leads Ferrari one-two in wet Imola practice – Gulf Digital News

F1: Leclerc leads Ferrari one-two in wet Imola practice – Gulf Digital News

Formula One world championship leader Charles Leclerc lapped fastest as Ferrari finished one-two in a wet first practice for their home Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Friday.

The 24-year-old Monegasque lapped Imola's Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit in a fastest time of one minute and 29.402 seconds on intermediate tyres, with Spanish team mate Carlos Sainz 0.877 seconds slower.

Red Bull's reigning world champion Max Verstappen was third fastest with a time of 1:30.867, followed by the two Haas drivers Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher, one of several spinners.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez was sixth fastest.

Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton was only 18th in a session that started with full wet tyres before conditions improved enough for some to venture out on intermediates.

Team mate George Russell, second in the standings but 34 points adrift of Leclerc, was in 10th place on a difficult afternoon for the champion constructors and more than four seconds off the pace.

Hamilton was seven seconds adrift of Leclerc.

"This is all about getting grip into the tyre and the temperature," said team boss Toto Wolff. "The Ferraris appear to have unlocked this thing and everybody else is pretty much all over the place.

"Certainly when you see your car pounding around