Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: date, time, and where to watch Franco Colapinto's debut with Alpine

Formula 1 resumes its schedule this weekend at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari with the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix . This will be the seventh round of the season and is expected to be a key moment for several drivers and teams looking to consolidate or turn things around in the standings.

The McLaren team arrives at Imola with the lead in both the constructors' and drivers' championships. Oscar Piastri leads with 131 points , followed by his teammate Lando Norris with 115 points . Between them, they have built a significant advantage that has so far been difficult for rival teams to counter.

However, Max Verstappen , currently third on 99 points , is looking to use this race to make up ground. The Red Bull driver has yet to establish himself as dominant as he has in previous seasons and faces a crucial moment if he wants to remain in the championship fight. Red Bull, meanwhile, sits third in the constructors' standings with 105 points, behind Mercedes (141 points) and far behind McLaren (246 points).

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One of the main focuses at Imola will be Mercedes ' youngster Kimi Antonelli , who surprised everyone by taking first place in qualifying in Miami . Although he finished sixth in the race, his performance has established him as one of the year's revelations and a serious contender within the German team. Antonelli currently sits sixth in the drivers' championship with 48 points .

British Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton hasn't found the consistency he hoped for with his new team. Hamilton sits seventh with 41 points , and this Grand Prix could represent an opportunity to begin turning things around, especially racing for his home team in front of the Italian fans.

Colapinto will make his first appearance with Alpine

Another new feature this weekend is the debut of Argentinian Franco Colapinto as a regular driver for Alpine . At 21 years old, the young South American will replace Jack Doohan following the team's decision to change its lineup. Colapinto prepared at the Zandvoort circuit in a test session with a car from previous seasons and is now facing his first official participation in the top category.

The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix will begin on Friday, May 16, with the first practice session at 5:30 a.m. The second practice session will follow that same day at 9:00 a.m. The third and final practice session will take place on Saturday the 17th at 4:30 a.m., followed by qualifying at 8:00 a.m. to determine the starting grid. The race will then take place on Sunday, May 18, at 7:00 a.m.

Fans in Mexico will be able to watch the event broadcast via Fox Sports Premium or the digital service F1TV , both with an active subscription.

THIS IS HOW THE COMPETITION IS GOING

In the drivers' standings, behind the trio of Piastri, Norris and Verstappen , are George Russell (93 pts), Charles Leclerc (53 pts) and Kimi Antonelli (48 pts) . Hamilton, Albon, Ocon and Stroll complete the top 10.

In the constructors' championship, Ferrari will be looking to improve its domestic performance with 94 points , while Williams, Haas, Aston Martin, Racing Bulls, Alpine and Sauber are fighting at the bottom of the table with less than 40 points each.

With McLaren dominating, Mercedes on the rise, and new faces like Antonelli and Colapinto generating excitement, Formula 1 arrives at Imola with several open fronts and the promise of a race that could bring significant changes to the championship.

With information from Milenio and El Financiero

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