Max Verstappen Triumphs at Imola, McLaren Duo Complete Podium in 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Max Verstappen secured his second victory of the 2025 Formula 1 season at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, held at the historic Imola circuit. The Red Bull driver overtook polesitter Oscar Piastri at the first corner and maintained his lead throughout the race, despite a late safety car that bunched up the field. McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri completed the podium in second and third places, respectively.
Verstappen talked afterwards about his early overtake and how he was able to control the race from there.
“The start itself wasn’t particularly great, but I was still on the outside line, the normal line, so I was like ‘well I’m going to try and send it around the outside’ and it worked really well. Of course, that unleashed our pace because when we were in the lead, the car was good. I could look after my tires.”
Verstappen’s Commanding Performance
Starting from second on the grid, Verstappen made an aggressive move around the outside of Piastri at the Tamburello chicane to take the lead. He then controlled the pace, building a significant gap over the McLarens. A virtual safety car on lap 30, triggered by Esteban Ocon’s retirement, allowed Verstappen to pit and retain his lead. Later, a full safety car on lap 47, due to Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s stoppage, brought the field closer, but Verstappen managed the restart expertly and held off challenges to claim his 65th career win.
McLaren’s Strategic Divergence
Oscar Piastri, aiming for a fourth consecutive win, started from pole but lost the lead at the start. He opted to stay out during the late safety car, while teammate Lando Norris pitted for fresh tires. This strategic difference allowed Norris, on newer rubber, to overtake Piastri with five laps remaining, securing second place. Piastri settled for third, which still keeps him atop the championship standings, albeit with a reduced lead.
Hamilton’s Impressive Climb
Lewis Hamilton delivered a standout performance for Ferrari, finishing fourth after starting 12th. Capitalizing on strategic pit stops and demonstrating strong race pace, Hamilton moved up the field. In the closing laps, he overtook teammate Charles Leclerc, who was struggling on older tires. Hamilton secured his best result since joining Ferrari.Â
Notable Performances and Standings Impact
Alexander Albon impressed with a fifth-place finish for Williams, while Leclerc ended up sixth after team orders allowed Albon to pass in the final laps. George Russell, who started third, finished seventh due to a two-stop strategy that didn’t pay off. Carlos Sainz, Isack Hadjar, and after starting from the pit lane, Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top ten.Â
Find the full results of the race here.
In the Drivers’ Championship, Piastri’s lead has been trimmed to 13 points over Norris, with Verstappen now 22 points behind.Â
The next race on the calendar is the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix, where teams will look to capitalize on the momentum gained at Imola. With the championship battle tightening, the streets of Monte Carlo will be even tighter.
