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Red Bull's Max Verstappen won a gripping Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola on Sunday, holding off the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The 27-year-old Dutchman came home 6.1 seconds clear of Lando Norris, who was second, ahead of McLaren team-mate and championship leader Oscar Piastri.
Like Verstappen, Ferrari's seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton profited from two safety car interventions to finish fourth, after starting 12th on the grid, ahead of Williams' Alex Albon and Charles Leclerc, in the second Ferrari. George Russell was seventh for Mercedes, ahead of Carlos Sainz in the second Williams, RB rookie Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda, a notable 10th in the second Red Bull after his high-speed crash in qualifying.
It was Verstappen’s second win this year and the 65th of his career, delivered in Red Bull's 400th Grand Prix. His success lifted him to 124 points in third place in the drivers' title race behind Piastri on 146 and Norris on 133. "Thank you everyone for a great job today and on Saturday," said Verstappen, whose performance made clear he and Red Bull will not relinquish the title easily. "It was a great weekend."
Piastri said he had lost the race at the opening corner. "I braked too early," he said. "But it was a great move by Max and then we had a few wrong calls so it was not one of our best Sundays." Norris conceded that Verstappen and Red Bull had been stronger and faster than his team. "Congratulations to Max," he said. "We couldn’t match him this weekend."
