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Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance to claim victory at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, marking his second win of the season and a fourth consecutive triumph at Imola. The Dutchman launched his charge with a bold first-lap overtake on polesitter Oscar Piastri, passing him "around the outside of the first chicane" at Tamburello, a move widely hailed as one of the best of his career.
From that moment, Verstappen maintained control of the race, steadily building his lead despite strategic uncertainties and two caution periods. Piastri pitted early on Lap 14 for hard tyres, a move that eventually backfired as Verstappen extended his stint. The reigning world champion later capitalized on a Virtual Safety Car on Lap 29—triggered by Esteban Ocon's retirement—using the opportunity to make a pit stop and rejoin with a "staggering lead of around 20 seconds from Norris in P2."
Drama unfolded again when Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes stopped on track, prompting a full Safety Car. While Verstappen and Norris pitted for fresh tyres, Piastri stayed out, raising questions over McLaren's strategy. Behind the Safety Car, Norris remarked that Piastri's tyres "looked pretty dead" and urged the team to "not fight if they wanted to challenge Verstappen," but McLaren allowed the teammates to battle.
On Lap 58, Norris made the decisive pass on Piastri to take second place, finishing six seconds behind Verstappen. Piastri held off a surging Lewis Hamilton, who executed a brilliant recovery from P12 on the grid to secure fourth for Ferrari, aided by "an offset strategy" and fresher tyres during the final stint.
Alex Albon earned a hard-fought fifth for Williams, winning a late-race duel with Charles Leclerc, who was instructed by Ferrari to return the position after forcing Albon off-track. George Russell claimed P7, Carlos Sainz finished eighth, and rookie Isack Hadjar secured P9 for Racing Bulls. Yuki Tsunoda completed the top ten for Red Bull.
Outside the points, Fernando Alonso lamented his misfortune after slipping to 11th, calling himself "the unluckiest driver ever." Verstappen's win at Red Bull's 400th Grand Prix start now sees him third in the championship, 22 points behind leader Piastri and nine adrift of Norris—reaffirming his place at the heart of the title fight.
