Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, seizing victory in a race punctuated by strategic gambles, safety car interruptions, and high-stakes overtakes. The Dutchman, starting from second on the grid, wasted no time in asserting his dominance, diving past Oscar Piastri at the opening Tamburello chicane and never looking back.
Despite McLaren’s front-row advantage, it was Verstappen’s Red Bull that dictated the pace. Piastri’s early pit stop on Lap 14, switching to hard tyres, proved ineffective as Verstappen stayed out, comfortably extending his lead in clean air.
Strategic uncertainty loomed large over the field, with teams split on whether to opt for a one- or two-stop approach. But the equation was rewritten on Lap 29 when Esteban Ocon parked his Haas on the grass, triggering a Virtual Safety Car. The timing played perfectly into Verstappen’s hands, allowing him to pit with minimal time loss and rejoin with a staggering 20-second cushion over Lando Norris, who had jumped Piastri in the earlier shuffle.
Further chaos followed on Lap 46 when Kimi Antonelli’s stricken Mercedes brought out a full Safety Car. Verstappen and Norris both capitalised with a second stop, but McLaren left Piastri out on track, creating intra-team tension. Ultimately, Verstappen’s restart was clinical, and Norris was soon waved past Piastri to chase down the leader – albeit to no avail.
Verstappen crossed the line with a six-second margin to take his fourth straight win at Imola – and a fitting triumph in Red Bull’s 400th Grand Prix appearance. Behind him, Norris secured second while Piastri held on to third after resisting pressure from a resurgent Lewis Hamilton, who salvaged fourth for Ferrari after a challenging qualifying session.
Alex Albon impressed once again, guiding his Williams to fifth ahead of Charles Leclerc, who was unable to make significant inroads in the latter stages. George Russell claimed seventh as the lone Mercedes finisher, with Antonelli’s race ending prematurely.
Carlos Sainz added valuable points for Williams in eighth, followed by Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar in ninth, another strong showing for the Frenchman. Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top ten after a recovery drive that went some way to easing the sting of his qualifying crash.
Outside the points, Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin continued their downward trajectory in 11th, trailed by Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly. Liam Lawson, Lance Stroll, and debutant Franco Colapinto finished next, while Ollie Bearman and Gabriel Bortoleto brought up the rear. Ocon and Antonelli were the only two retirees.
Verstappen’s masterclass in race management, strategy, and composure extends his lead in the championship and puts Red Bull back on top – with rivals once again left wondering how to halt the Dutch juggernaut.
