Alex and Logan look ahead to Imola

Formula 1 makes its first European stop of the 2024 season at this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

After devastating flooding cancelled last year’s event, we’re excited to be heading back to the region and Imola in particular.

Alex Albon will arrive into the weekend fresh off the back of committing his long-term future to the team, and is keen to see what Imola has in store for him this year after an impressive P11 in 2022.

“I’m looking forward to starting the European arm of the calendar, starting with Imola,” Albono commented.

“After the unfortunate flooding last year, it will be exciting to go racing here again.

“It’s also a great feeling going into the weekend having announced my commitment to Williams for the long term, and we’re bringing some upgrades this weekend which should help with weight reduction in the car.

“Hopefully we see some improvements and bounce back as a team.”

Logan Sargeant has Formula 2 experience around this iconic venue, but will make his F1 debut here this weekend.

“It’s great to be returning to Imola this week,” Sarge shared, adding: “I’m excited to experience racing this historic track in a F1 car for the first time.

“Switching back to a normal event format after back-to-back Sprints provides us with the chance to build up the weekend and fine tune our set-up.

“It’s a narrow circuit with limited opportunities to overtake, so we’ll be looking to maximise our Qualifying performance.”

Sven Smeets, Sporting Director, is ready to make the most of three practice sessions and gather as much data on our updates ahead of a busy schedule, with eight races in 11 weeks.

“We are looking forward to being back in Imola after the event was cancelled in 2023,” Sven said.

“After two Sprint Races in China and Miami, the first race in Europe sees us returning to the normal three-day standard format.

“Friday will give us plenty of opportunity to test different set-ups to fine tune the car for Qualifying and the Race.

“The Imola circuit is fast with one of the longest DRS zones, but overtaking remains difficult, which will play a role in setting the race strategy for the weekend.

“The weight-saving measures we're bringing over the coming races will hopefully bring overall performance to the car.

“The weather forecast still gives a very small risk of rain on Sunday but it looks less and less likely that weather will play a big part in this weekend’s event.”