Verstappen Claims Victory in Action-Packed Emi… Read more
Max Verstappen secured his second win of the 2025 Formula 1 season with a commanding performance at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, leading home Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in an intense race marked by strategy calls, safety car periods, and fierce battles throughout the field.
The race kicked off with high drama as polesitter Oscar Piastri got off the line well, only to be overtaken by Verstappen through the Tamburello chicane on the opening lap. The reigning World Champion quickly built a comfortable lead over the chasing McLarens, demonstrating impressive pace in the early stages.
Piastri was among the first to pit on Lap 14, switching to the hard compound in an attempt to undercut his rivals. However, the strategy didn’t pay off as expected, while Verstappen extended his first stint to maximize his advantage. As strategies split across the field, the outlook of the race changed dramatically on Lap 29 when Esteban Ocon retired his Haas on the grass, triggering a Virtual Safety Car. Verstappen took full advantage, making his pit stop and rejoining with a lead of nearly 20 seconds over Norris in second.
The race was far from settled, however. On Lap 46, Kimi Antonelli stopped his Mercedes on track, prompting a full Safety Car. Verstappen and Norris pitted again, but Piastri remained out on track. This led to speculation about team orders within McLaren, as Norris had fresher tires. After the restart, Verstappen pulled away with ease, maintaining his lead and eventually taking the checkered flag to claim his fourth straight win at Imola – a significant milestone on Red Bull’s 400th Grand Prix appearance.
Behind him, Norris overtook Piastri to claim second place, with the Australian managing to fend off Lewis Hamilton for the final podium spot. Hamilton, who had a strong recovery drive after a difficult qualifying session, finished fourth for Ferrari. Alex Albon impressed once again, bringing home P5 for Williams after a tense battle with Charles Leclerc, who ended up sixth.
George Russell was seventh for Mercedes, the only finisher for the team after Antonelli’s DNF. Carlos Sainz added more points for Williams in P8. Rookie Isack Hadjar shone once again for Racing Bulls by finishing ninth, while his teammate Yuki Tsunoda secured the final point in 10th, bouncing back after a crash in qualifying.
Aston Martin’s struggles continued as Fernando Alonso ended 11th, followed by Nico Hulkenberg, Pierre Gasly, Liam Lawson, and Lance Stroll. Franco Colapinto finished 16th on his debut for Alpine, ahead of Ollie Bearman and Gabriel Bortoleto. Ocon and Antonelli were the only retirees of the race.
