Verstappen's masterclass: Imola GP race report

The historic Imola circuit served up a compelling Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, as Max Verstappen showcased his aggressive class to snatch victory from polesitter Oscar Piastri with a decisive opening lap manoeuvre. The Red Bull Racing driver, starting P2, delivered a statement performance to claim his fourth consecutive win at the Italian venue, navigating a race punctuated by strategic gambles, on-track skirmishes, and a crucial Safety Car period that reshuffled the pack. Lando Norris fought hard to secure second place for McLaren, ultimately getting the better of his teammate Piastri, who completed the podium in third, albeit perhaps ruing what might have been.

Verstappen's Masterclass at the Start Sets the Tone

The FORMULA 1 AWS GRAN PREMIO DEL MADE IN ITALY E DELL'EMILIA-ROMAGNA 2025 began under warm and sunny skies, with track temperatures notably higher than in previous sessions, hinting at potentially greater tyre degradation. All eyes were on the front row, where McLaren's Oscar Piastri, the championship leader, lined up on pole alongside Max Verstappen. As the lights went out, Piastri made a clean getaway, initially holding his advantage into Tamburello. However, Verstappen, renowned for his aggressive race craft, braked exceptionally late into the Turn 2 chicane. The Dutchman audaciously squeezed his Red Bull Racing machine alongside and then past the McLaren, emerging in the lead. Piastri, perhaps mindful of the long race ahead and the championship implications, gave Verstappen racing room, a decision that would define the trajectory of the Grand Prix.

Behind the leading pair, Mercedes' George Russell, who had gambled on used medium tyres for a better grid position in qualifying, held third. Lando Norris in the second McLaren was fourth, eager to make progress. Further back, the opening laps were frantic. Esteban Ocon in the Haas F1 Team car dived into the pits at the end of lap 1, swapping his starting medium tyres for hards, an early indication of potential tyre wear concerns or a bold strategic alternative. Yuki Tsunoda, driving for Red Bull Racing and starting from the pit lane after a significant qualifying crash, began his recovery drive on hard tyres, a compound also chosen by Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Nico Hulkenberg (Kick Sauber), and Oliver Bearman (Haas F1 Team).

Early Battles and Strategic Divergence

Verstappen quickly set about building a gap to Piastri, extending his lead beyond the crucial one-second DRS window. By lap 5, he was 1.6 seconds clear, a comfortable cushion in the early stages. The battle for third, however, was heating up. Russell, on his older medium tyres, found himself under immense pressure from Norris. The McLaren driver, knowing the importance of track position at Imola, hounded the Mercedes lap after lap. Norris made several attempts, even dipping a wheel onto the grass on lap 10 as Russell robustly defended. The scrap allowed Piastri to edge away slightly from Russell, but also brought Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin into play behind Norris.

The first significant strategic moves from the midfield came around lap 9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) were among the early stoppers, taking on hard tyres. Leclerc's stop was particularly noteworthy, as his Ferrari team executed a swift 2.0-second service. This early flurry of pit stops, including one for Williams' Carlos Sainz on lap 11, hinted that the medium tyre's lifespan might be shorter than anticipated for some, or that teams were attempting an aggressive undercut. George Russell, his medium tyres clearly fading after just 11 laps (including three from qualifying), pitted and also switched to hards.

On lap 11, Lando Norris finally made his move stick on Russell. A superbly executed pass into the Villeneuve chicane saw him claim third place, but Piastri was already six seconds further up the road, highlighting the time Norris had lost in the duel.

Piastri's Undercut Attempt and Traffic Woes

McLaren blinked first among the front-runners, calling Oscar Piastri in from second place on lap 13. The aim was clearly to undercut Verstappen, but a slightly slow 3.6-second stop compromised the strategy somewhat. Piastri rejoined behind Yuki Tsunoda, who was yet to pit. Crucially, he had some clear air initially, but the effectiveness of the undercut would depend on Verstappen's response and Piastri's ability to clear traffic quickly. During this pit window, Fernando Alonso experienced a worrying moment, with flames seen licking from his Aston Martin's brakes as he entered the pit lane, though he was able to continue after his tyre change.

Verstappen and Red Bull, however, remained calm, extending their first stint. By lap 20, the top eight runners, including leader Verstappen and second-placed Norris, had yet to make their first pit stop. Piastri, having cleared Tsunoda (who was instructed by Red Bull to hold up the McLaren), then had to dispatch Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto (Alpine). While these overtakes were relatively straightforward, each lap spent battling cost him precious time against Verstappen and Norris, who were enjoying clear air. The early degradation on the medium compound seemed to stabilize for those running long, which played into the hands of Verstappen and Norris, eroding the advantage Piastri hoped to gain from his earlier stop.

The Mid-Race Calm Before the Storm

As the race approached its midpoint, Verstappen maintained a commanding lead, which had stretched to over 9 seconds over Norris by lap 21. Alexander Albon, in the Williams, was running an excellent third, yet to pit, showcasing good tyre management. Isack Hadjar, the Racing Bulls rookie, was an impressive fourth, also on his original tyres, ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton, after a disappointing qualifying, was making steady progress, engaging in a feisty battle with Antonelli for P6. His Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, was also recovering, moving up to P6 by lap 41 after dispatching Hadjar.

Piastri, meanwhile, having pitted on lap 13, found his progress somewhat stymied. He was using his fresher tyres to climb back through the field, overtaking Hamilton on lap 27 and Antonelli on lap 28. However, the gap to Verstappen remained substantial, more than a pit stop's worth of time. McLaren's gamble on the early stop for Piastri hadn't delivered the decisive advantage they might have hoped for, largely due to the time lost in traffic.

Lando Norris eventually pitted from P2 on lap 28 for hard tyres, a relatively late stop for a medium tyre starter. His pit stop was also not the slickest at 4.4 seconds, but he rejoined ahead of his teammate Piastri, who was on much older hard tyres by this point.

Ocon's Retirement Triggers VSC and Reshuffles the Pack

The race took a significant turn on lap 29. Esteban Ocon was instructed to stop his Haas F1 Team car due to a mechanical issue, pulling off onto the grass. This prompted the deployment of the Virtual Safety Car (VSC). Red Bull reacted instantly, pitting race leader Max Verstappen. The "cheap" pit stop under VSC conditions was a dream scenario for the Dutchman; he rejoined still comfortably in the lead, now on fresh hard tyres. Alexander Albon also pitted from P2 under the VSC. Oscar Piastri, having already made his stop, found himself in second but on tyres 15 laps older than Verstappen's and significantly older than Norris's.

The VSC period saw a flurry of activity in the pit lane. Charles Leclerc, who had benefited from an early first stop, was unhappy with the timing of his second stop under the VSC. Many drivers took the opportunity for a second stop, leading to a mixed bag of tyre strategies and ages up and down the field as the race prepared to resume. Piastri, despite having older tyres than Norris, managed to stay ahead of his teammate through this VSC pit cycle, but Norris had significantly fresher rubber.

The Full Safety Car: Antonelli's Heartbreak and McLaren's Dilemma

The drama intensified further on lap 46 when Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, in his home race, pulled off the track with an issue. "I have an issue," the young Italian reported, his race coming to a premature end. This incident brought out the full Safety Car.

This was a critical juncture. Verstappen, having pitted under the VSC, was on relatively fresh hard tyres. Piastri, in second, was on 18-lap old hards. Norris, third, was on 3-lap old used hards – a significant tyre advantage over his teammate. The Safety Car bunched the field, negating Verstappen's carefully built lead and presenting McLaren with a strategic headache.

Lando Norris was quick to observe the state of his teammate's tyres, subtly communicating to his McLaren team that Piastri's rubber looked less than ideal. While stating he didn't want to be simply let past, he left the team with a decision that seemed obvious from his perspective: his fresher tyres gave him the best chance to challenge Verstappen for the win. With both drivers also in the hunt for the World Championship, the pit wall faced a delicate balancing act between team victory and inter-driver fairness. Williams also opted to pit Albon from a strong position, as remaining out on old tyres would have made him a sitting duck at the restart. He rejoined behind Leclerc, who moved up to fourth.

The Restart and the Race to the Finish

Racing resumed on lap 54. Verstappen made a perfect restart, leaping away and immediately pulling clear of Piastri. Norris, however, was initially unable to pressure his teammate. Alexander Albon was all over the back of Charles Leclerc for fourth place, while Yuki Tsunoda managed to pass Nico Hulkenberg for P10, securing a valuable point for Red Bull Racing after his pit lane start.

The intra-McLaren battle that had been brewing finally ignited. On lap 58, Norris, with his superior tyre grip, launched an attack on Piastri. Going side-by-side into Turn 2 – the very corner where Verstappen had seized the lead – Norris refused to yield on the outside and swept past his teammate to take second place. It was hard but fair racing between the McLaren pair.

With Norris clear, the question was whether he could hunt down Verstappen. The gap was initially over four seconds, and despite Norris's fresher tyres, Verstappen seemed to have the pace to manage the lead. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton, who had also pitted under the Safety Car for fresh tyres, was on a charge. He dispatched his former Mercedes teammate George Russell for P6 on lap 57 with a well-executed move.

The fight for fourth between Charles Leclerc and Alexander Albon provided thrilling late-race entertainment. On lap 60, Albon, pushing hard to reclaim a position lost during the Safety Car pit stops, attempted a move on Leclerc into the first chicane. The pair went side-by-side, but Albon, finding himself squeezed, had to take to the gravel to avoid contact. This excursion cost him dearly, dropping him to sixth behind Hamilton.

On the final lap, with Verstappen cruising to victory some six seconds ahead of Norris, Ferrari instructed Leclerc to cede fifth place back to Albon. The stewards had been investigating a Turn 2 incident between them from earlier, where Albon was allegedly forced off track. Albon moved back to P5, a strong result for Williams, while a disgruntled Leclerc finished sixth, questioning what he had done wrong.

Verstappen's Victory and Podium Reflections

Max Verstappen crossed the line to secure his second win of the season and a remarkable fourth consecutive triumph at Imola. His victory was built on that assertive opening lap and expertly managing the race thereafter, ably supported by Red Bull's sharp strategy. Lando Norris came home a strong second, claiming another podium, while Oscar Piastri, despite leading the championship, would likely feel a twinge of disappointment with third after starting on pole, luck not quite on his side with the Safety Car timing relative to his tyre life.

Lewis Hamilton finished fourth for Ferrari, a good recovery from P12 on the grid. Alexander Albon's fighting fifth place earned vital points for Williams, showcasing his and the team's progress. Charles Leclerc eventually took sixth ahead of George Russell. Carlos Sainz brought his Williams home in eighth. A brilliant drive from Isack Hadjar saw the Racing Bulls rookie secure ninth place and more valuable points, underlining his impressive start to his F1 career. Yuki Tsunoda rounded out the top ten, a commendable recovery for Red Bull Racing after his qualifying crash.

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix delivered intrigue and drama. While Verstappen and Red Bull demonstrated their enduring strength, McLaren confirmed their status as serious contenders. Oscar Piastri continues to lead the World Championship, now 13 points ahead of teammate Lando Norris. However, Verstappen's victory has significantly closed the gap; he is now just nine points behind Norris, setting the stage for an enthralling championship battle as the European season continues. Attention now turns to the iconic streets of Monaco, a vastly different challenge that promises yet more excitement.