Max Verstappen likely won the last Grand Prix at Imola, with Lando Norris finishing second ahead of Oscar Piastri.
Photo: Red Bull content pool
An unexpectedly exciting Grand Prix at the Imola circuit, which likely won’t be part of the F1 calendar from next year, was won by Max Verstappen—mainly thanks to his move in the first corner, where he boldly and somewhat aggressively overtook Oscar Piastri on the outside. From that point on, he controlled the race and held the lead until the finish. His teammate had a much tougher time. After a big crash in qualifying, Tsunoda started from the pit lane and had to fight his way through the field, eventually finishing tenth and securing one point.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri started from pole position, but Max snatched the lead in the very first corner, and neither of the British team’s drivers could match the pace of the four-time world champion. McLaren had to settle for a double podium, though they still enjoy a very comfortable lead of 137 points in the championship.
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| Photo: Peter Fox / Getty Images |
Mercedes showed good one-lap pace, as proven by George Russell qualifying third, but their race pace was surprisingly poor. Starting from third, Russell gradually dropped down the order and ended up seventh. His teammate, who hails from nearby Bologna, had the support of local fans and even his classmates, but struggled throughout the weekend. He failed to make it to the final part of qualifying and had to retire from the race due to technical issues.
Williams deserves praise, as both of their cars made it into the final part of qualifying and battled on track even with Ferrari and Mercedes drivers. They finished fifth and eighth, respectively.
For Ferrari, it was a rollercoaster weekend on home soil. Neither driver made it to the final qualifying session, leaving the Tifosi visibly disappointed. The race was challenging for them, but Lewis Hamilton somewhat lifted Italian spirits with a fourth-place finish. Charles Leclerc ended up only sixth.
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| Photo: Peter Fox / Getty Images |
A rather invisible but noteworthy performance came from Hadjar, who brought home two points for ninth place. It was also a home race for the Racing Bulls team.