F1 standings

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen looks to cut the points deficit to championship leader Charles Leclerc in Italy, with The Sporting News providing ...

He will hope to have an easier time of it today and retain the lead from pole at the start, but he knows at least he is a match for his title rival at Imola. 75 mins to lights out: Just as on Friday it its wet at Imola. There has been a lot of rain around in the last hour or so and conditions are treacherous to say the least. Charles Leclerc came to Imola having won two of the first three races of the season and the championship leader will hope he can bring further joy to his Italian employers today. The seven-time world champion has had a miserable 2022 so far and it hasn't got any better at Imola where he was only 14th in the Sprint on Saturday. 20 mins to lights out: This is an exciting era of F1 racing with three great races to start the 2022 season. Being on the right compound for the conditions at the correct time will be critical and could well define the outcome of the afternoon's proceedings. 10 mins to lights out: It has dried out quite quickly, at least on the starting grid, ahead of the race start. "Too risky" he says when the conversation on the pit radio comes up on whether to go on slicks yet. Red Bull have control of the race with Verstappen ahead of Perez. Leclerc immediately trying to pressurise Norris to get up to third and try and chase the front two. Lap 32: We are past halfway and Verstappen is 10 seconds ahead of Red Bull teammate Perez. Leclerc right behind the Mexican, with Norris fourth in his McLaren a further 14 seconds off the pace. Time and again the Mercedes gets right under the wing of the AlphaTauri into Turn 1, but with Gasly getting DRS from the Williams of Albon ahead he does not have the grunt to get through. Charles Leclerc had been on course for third but the championship leader spun off late in proceedings as he chased Perez for second.