Red Bull’s Max Verstappen delivered a superb drive to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola on Sunday, edging out McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in a closely-fought race. Verstappen made a decisive move on pole-sitter Piastri at the very start and defended the lead for all 63 laps to claim his fourth win at Imola.
It was a dramatic and fast-paced race, with Verstappen managing the pressure from both McLaren drivers expertly. Piastri, who had secured pole and currently leads the drivers’ standings, was forced to settle for third after Norris moved ahead during a crucial pit-stop phase.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton thrilled the Italian fans with a strong performance, moving up from 12th on the grid to finish fourth in his Ferrari. Teammate Charles Leclerc followed behind in sixth, rounding off a solid home race for the Scuderia.
Alexander Albon impressed once again, finishing fifth and backing up his strong result from Miami. Meanwhile, his Williams teammate Carlos Sainz crossed the line in eighth place.
Despite Verstappen’s win, Oscar Piastri stays on top of the championship standings with 146 points, followed by Norris with 133 and Verstappen just behind with 124.
