Image source, Getty Images

McLaren CEO Zak Brown, speaking to Sky Sports: "Oscar [Piastri] is very prepared and he's got his gameplan, so does Lando [Norris], I think it's going to be a great race. It's hard to pass around here but I like our chances."

On the strategy: "I think it's a one-stop but we will have to see, you are prepared for both but I think it will be one."

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

Image source, Pirelli 2025

Everyone goes into the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix knowing that overtaking will be difficult and planning accordingly. For Lando Norris in fourth place on the grid, that means he will be looking to make up ground at the first corner - without taking too many risks - or on strategy. But strategy is tricky, because it is highly likely to be a one-stop race, and it is unclear whether an under-cut or an over-cut will be advantageous.

That question will be defined by track position - so, for example, the alternative strategy that is sometimes tried of running long to generate a tyre offset to then come back at another driver and overtake them will be less appealing because of the difficulty of passing.

And the reason passing is so difficult is that it is hard to follow closely through the last two corners at Rivazza, and the braking zone at the quick Tamburello chicane that is the effective first corner is short.

The other consideration going into the race is how unforgiving the Imola track is. Go off in attempting to overtake, and you may be able to rejoin, but the likelihood is that the car will have been damaged in the process.

Pit-stop loss is about 26-27 seconds, 16 seconds under a safety car.

BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Ciao again to Ben Edwards, former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley and F1 correspondent Andrew Benson. The team is ready to take us through round seven, so listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and at the top of this page using the 'listen live' tab.

You can also tune in by asking BBC Sounds to play Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix via most smart speakers.

Image source, Getty Images

Pirelli is debuting the C6 tyre at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix and while it's unlikely we'll get to see the red rubber during today's race, the drivers did give their feedback on the new kid on the block after yesterday's qualifying.

Polesitter Oscar Piastri said the soft tyre "was a real mystery" and "a struggle", while Max Verstappen added the C6 "is very difficult to keep alive around the lap".

The C4 hard and C5 medium will be the starting compounds of choice across the grid in Imola, and we will be seeing this softest trio of tyres return at next week's Monaco Grand Prix and at the Canadian race in mid-June.

Ian Fergusson
BBC weather forecaster

Image source, Getty Images

Air temperature is 23.9C and track 45.9C. Wind from west-south-west, with gusts to 18mph in the past hour.

Dry and sunny. Like yesterday, there's a low risk of showers (initially to west/north-west) moving into/forming in the area.

FIA official risk of rain 20%.

Image source, Getty Images

George Russell will start in third in the Mercedes, he said: "It was a strong qualifying, with the McLarens and Max [Verstappen] we've always been quite close especially on a Saturday, but the more important day is today and I don't think it will be quite as straightforward.

"The McLarens are really fast and Max has been doing a good job, so let's see what we can do."

On the track: "It's definitely one of the best circuits. When you've got the fans so close and houses nearby it really feels like a pure drivers circuit and this is what we really love.

"It will be a real shame to see Imola missed from the calendar in the future, but there's just not space for every circuit."

On the race: "The aim has definitely got to be the podium, how we achieve that I'm not too sure. We need to see at the beginning, obviously Lando [Norris] is starting behind and I will do my best to keep him there, but their car is so quick at the moment it won't be easy."

McLaren might not have both drivers starting in the podium places today but the team still hold a healthy 105-point advantage over second-placed Mercedes in the constructors' championship.

Red Bull in third are 11 clear of fourth-placed Ferrari, while Williams have given themselves breathing space from Haas in the race for fifth - 17 points the difference between the two teams.

Image source, Getty Images

It's time for the Italian national anthem - a cracker on the anthem list - at the Formula 1 AWS Gran Premio del Made in Italy E Dell 'Emilia-Romagna 2025 at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, to give today's event its full billing.

Image source, Getty Images

Lando Norris starts in P4 in the McLaren, he said before the race: "I just want to have a fun race and to try and get forward and do some overtakes, I'm still aiming for a podium and a good result."

On the race: "I don't think it's going to be an easy race for me and it's a long race, it's many laps around here and not an easy track to overtake. Making the most of the strategy the first lap is going to be important."

On the fans: "It always helps, I always want to do my fans proud and make them happy and I want to give them something to cheer about especially after the race, so hopefully that can be the case today."

Oscar Piastri could extend his championship lead further over team-mate Lando Norris if he takes his fourth consecutive win of the season today. The Australian is 16 points clear of Norris, who starts fourth, and 32 free of reigning title holder Max Verstappen in third.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli will start in P13 at his home race: "It's amazing to see so many fans. Yesterday was quite disappointing, I couldn't really find the feeling in qualifying but today is another day and especially with this amazing crowd, the energy is going to be amazing and I'm ready to give it my best.

"It's amazing, this is my proper home race and living so close is definitely a special feeling and it's a special place for me and I want to make the best out of today. It's a special weekend and it will be good to come away with a good memory."

Image source, Getty Images

Bologna boy Kimi Antonelli is racing on home soil for the first time this season but the teenager's Imola weekend has been a bit hit and miss so far, after the Mercedes driver qualified P13 yesterday.

Italian fans will have to look to the midfield to see Antonelli - and both Ferraris - as he chases down seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton as his first Tamburello target from lights out.

The 18-year-old has been chucking caps into the crowd - they're chanting his name enthusiastically - watched on proudly by his dad, Marco.

Marc Priestley
Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

You can't fault Isack Hadjar, the resilience he has shown and the maturity he's shown, he's now delivering consistent results and yesterday's qualifying was a really good example of that.

Image source, Getty Images

Rookie Isack Hadjar ended up hitting his wheel in frustration after his qualifying performance yesterday. Not because it was bad but because the Frenchman felt a higher grid slot than the P9 he ended up with was there on a plate. Hadjar dipped a wheel on the grass as he navigated the Tamburello chicane on his final run and felt without that mistake, he maybe could've aimed as high as P5 for today's grand prix.

Jeremiah Kariuki: While all eyes are on Piastri, McLarens and Max, the big question is what happened to Ferrari? A giant that has not awaken from slumber.

Image source, .

If you love old school circuits, famous drivers having a cup of tea in the cockpit, classic F1 advertising (you know what I mean), then have a read of this excellent piece put together by big live page boss Alan Jewell, designer Thiago Braz and even bigger big boss Reece Killworth, to celebrate 75 years of incredible images from Formula 1.

Take a look here

And could you do us a little favour? Using the thumbs below, how many of you would refer to what James Hunt is eating as a 'lolly ice'? Up thumb for 'yes', down thumb for 'no'. Myself and Alan are lolly icers and we need some moral support.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Is Imola the turning point for Aston Martin? Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were both running the latest upgrade package during qualifying and the two drivers safely booked their spots in the top-10 shootout, with two-time world champion Alonso qualifying in P5 for today's race - the team's best result of the season.

Alonso and Stroll's final runs were done on the C5 medium tyre: a roll of the strategy dice that paid off nicely for Aston Martin.

Amazingly, Alonso is looking for his first points of the campaign at round seven, while Canadian Stroll has collected 14 points so far and is 10th in the standings.

Marc Priestley
Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

It's a wonderful race track, particularly for qualifying, but come race day overtaking opportunities are tricky and few and far between.

Image source, Getty Images

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton will start in 12th, he said: "It really is [emotional]. It's such an honour to be here, I'm filming everything because it's the first time seeing everyone here.

"I really want to give these guys [the tifosi] the best race possible today.

"This is like nothing I've ever experienced, so I will take that energy and keep pushing. We never give up and we're going to get there."

Image source, Getty Images

The struggles are very real for Ferrari this season. On Italian soil - and with superstar Lewis Hamilton in the car - the expectations were always going to be high. But for both drivers to fall at the second hurdle at Imola? Disaster.

Charles Leclerc, starting P11, was straight to the point in his post-qualifying interview, saying the Scuderia are "P-nowhere" at the moment and expressing the hurt he and the team feel at performing so poorly at a home track.

Leclerc has delivered the Scuderia their only main podium appearances this year at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, although Hamilton, starting one place lower in P12, did win the sprint race in China in March.