Imola Speed Trap: Who is the fastest of them all?

Imola's wide variety of corner types and speeds – a typical old-school trait – means that maximum velocity is a secondary criterion relative to balance and traction.

However, given the long haul down to the Tamburello chicane where most overtaking takes places, a healthy top speed coupled with DRS is a very useful combination on race day, especially as overtaking opportunities are typically few and far between elsewhere around the track.

In qualifying, Red Bull's Sergio Perez - who clocked in P7 - topped the speed trap readings with 296.7 km/h, while teammate Max Verstappen who qualified on pole was just 1.3 km/h slower.

• Read also: Brawn pushing for six-race sprint schedule for 2023

The bulls' performance confirms the RB18's overall strong package which allies adequate top speed with very good balance, ensuring the right compromise to tackle the fast-flowing nature of the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.

With a top speed edge on Ferrari's F1-75, and less tyre degradation to deal with, Verstappen looks set to repeat on Sunday his sprint race success from the day before.

But Charles Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz won't go down without a fight in their home race.

Sebastian Vettel was the second fastest driver to whizz through the speed trap. While Aston Martin may have trimmed the downforce on its AMR22 to help its performance, Vettel's ninth fastest time in qualifying points to a car that is better balanced at Imola than it has been previously this season.

Finally, whether one considers the top speed of Mercedes' contender or the average qualifying times of Russell and Hamilton, the Brackley squad sadly remains a midfield player at best, with little hope of a turnaround in the short term.

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