MAX Verstappen picked up his second win of the 2025 season in Italy.
The Dutch driver took the lead of the race from Oscar Piastri on the first corner, and came home to win from there.
Piastri ended the day in third, with teammate Lando Norris coming home in second place, overtaking Piastri towards the end of the race.
Lewis Hamilton came home in fourth place in his first home race with Ferrari.
- Start time: 2pm BST
- TV channel: Sky Sports F1
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‘Two McLarens on the podium, we’re OK with that’ – Stella
As for Horner’s opposite number, Andrea Sella considers it a productive race in the interim as Monaco approaches.
“It was an eventful race, plenty of twists and turns but it didn’t change the leader. Fair play to Max, he was very fast – we tried different strategies but nothing really paid off. Two McLarens on the podium, we’re OK with that.”
Did he consider putting Norris ahead of Piastri after the safety car? “We wanted to give Oscar his chance in the race … and we thought that if Lando had the pace to catch Max, he would get past Oscar pretty easily anyway.”
‘Decisive Max determines win’ – Horner
Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner speaking to Sky Sports: “We definitely improved the car yesterday, his start was either win it or bin it – Oscar was fair, but the commitment [Max] has … incredibly decisive, and he is so good in those situations.”
Final results
Here’s how the final race classification played out:
Podium three
The undeniable three best in the business, with the current world champion reigning back on top.
Drivers’ standings
Here’s how the World Championship standings look:
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 146pts
- Lando Norris (McLaren) 133pts
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 124pts
- George Russell (Mercedes) 99pts
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 61pts
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 53pts
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 48pts
- Alexander Albon (Williams) 40pts
Race winner Verstappen speaks
“The start itself wasn’t that great but I was still on the right line, the outside line – once we got ahead, we could unleash our pace,” the No.1 Red Bull driver said post-race.
“Massive improvement from Friday, which I’m happy about. Virtual safety car helped, but the later safety car brought everyone back together. Really important week for us, the car ran well, we executed everything really well.”
Piastri speaks after race
The Championship leader started the race on the top, but was displaced on the first lap, second corner and on weary tyres managed to battle himself back into a podium position.
The top ten
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- Lando Norris, McLaren
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
- Alex Albon, Williams
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- Geroge Russell, Mercedes
- Carlos Sainz, Williams
- Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
- Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull
Verstappen WINS Imola
The Red Bull driver soared into a leading psotion on the second corner and cruised albeit with safety car luck into his fourth win at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and maintains his position in the Championship race.
Its a 2-3 for the Mclaren; Norris second, Piastri third, who were unable to catch their Dutch title contender.
Home favourite Antonelli faded out of action with retirement. So did Ocon early on.
The main story-line of the race will involve Charles Leclerc and Alex Albon, who battled for P5 in the final laps before the former had to hand the Williams driver via race chiefs.
Lap 63/63 – Albon PASSES Leclerc
Albon once again dives in on Leclerc but is unable to yield the fan favourite.
The Williams driver is displaying exceptional grit here and earns the position via race directive after their initial fight.
Lap 61/63 – Verstappen leads, Mclaren 2-3, Ferrari 4-5
Albon aims to gain advantage on Leclrec, goes steering off into the dirt amongst the clash before recovering in stylish fashion to regain his position on track.
Daring, unsuccessful but commendable from the Williams driver.
Leclrec is unable to fight off his Ferrari teammate as Hamilton moves into fourth in a fight for the final podium position.
Lap 59/63 – Norris OVERTAKES Piastri
The teammate battle everyone was eager to see unfold came to fruition in well-mannered conditions as Norris jumps his fellow Mclaren with the DRS combination. The Brit moves into second.
Lap 57/63 – Verstappen leads, Mclaren 2-3
The battle as we enter into the final laps seems to be firmly placed within the Mclarens: Piastri holds second but with worsen tires.
Hamilton makes the awkward move on Russell. Watch out for Gasly in P13.
Lap 55/63 – Verstappen leads, Mclaren 2-3
Verstappen gets a suitable exit on the green flag through the Tamburello chicane as he keeps the two chasing Mclarens at bay.
Leclerc jumps into fourth.
Lap 54/63 – Safety Car ended
On Antonelli’s retirement, it seems its an accelerator issue.
Regardless, we’re back racing as most of the pack take up a hard tyre approach but not Piastri whose are 22 laps old.
This track has been criticised for its lack of entertainment. That may all change in its’final outing. Sit back, and relax as the field closes up.
Top ten: Verstappen, Piastri, Norris, Leclerc, Albon, Russell, Hamilton, Sainz, Hadjar and Hulkenberg.
Lap 51/63 – Safety Car coming to close
Confusion, drama and excitement embroiled in this edition of the Safety Car as it contradicts what we saw with the first yellow flag despite the similarity of the situation.
Antonelli’s car is whisked away by the marshals in the long wait.
Lap 48/63 – Antonelli OUT, Verstappen and Norris pits
Leclerc is ordered to stay out as Ferrari don’t have the required tyres to compete for a good finish.
Whilst most of the field take advantage of the slow conditions to change.
Antonelli exits his car and waves despondently to his people.
Lap 46/63 – YELLOW FLAG and SAFETY CAR
Issue for Antonelli in the Mercedes as the actual Safety Car comes out.
He pulls off to the grass and it seems his home race is over.
Lap 45/63 – Verstappen first, Norris second, Piastri third
We’ve got Mclarens bunched up at the top, followed by Ferraris in fith and sixth, Mercedes in the upper midfield and Alpine at the bottom.
Expect tense racing and even tenser team radios in the last stretch.
Alonso, who his 12 years removed from a race win, blasts his frustration on the radio: “the unluckiest driver in the world” as he seeks his first top-ten finish of the season.
Also, Bearman has NOT retired but his struggling at the back of the pack.
Lap 41/63 – Verstappen first, Piastri re-enters top three
Piastri makes his move back into top three to join his fellow title contenders at the expense of Albon.
If there’s one critic of the Hadjar game, it is the defensive game must sharped up as Lecrlec kills him on the straight line speed with no resistance.
Lap 39/63 – Verstappen first, Ferrari charge
Fellow Ferrari Leclerc also makes his charge up the field as he displaces Antonelli and starts to give the Tifosi something to believe in on this emotional Imola day.
Hülkenberg in the Sauber’s 600th ever race was quietly going about his race, not there, as his powers through Alonso into 10th.
Lap 37/63 – Verstappen first, Hamilton makes top five move
Hamilton completes the rookie sweep, first on Antonelli, now on Hadjar as the Ferrari driver moves into the top five with the fastest lap tag.
Race engineer to Hamilton: “P5 on the road, awesome.”
18 seconds and counting between Verstappen and Norris.
Lap 35/63 – Verstappen first, Hamilton makes his move
Sainz is tagged by Tsunoda in their midfield battle which has been noted by race control.
Hamilton shows adept race craft to finally pip his Mercedes successor Antonelli – both have moved on to the mediums.
The current top five is as follows: Verstappen, Norris, Albon, Piastri, Hadjar.
Lap 33/63 – Verstappen first, Haas cars OUT
Stroll was one of the few cars who avoided the pitlane holds off Leclerc for now.
A reply of Ocon’s issue shows a car problem as Russell’s unsafe release will be deliberated.
The other Haas in Bearman is retiring after a weekend to forget. Both cars of the American team are out
Lap 31/63 – Verstappen and Norris pit after VSC
Verstappen race continues to go in favourable conditions as the neutralised track allows him to pit and maintain his leading position.
A host of pits are done with both Ferrari’s entering the pit with Leclerc, who was on the charge, venting frustration on the VSC.
We’re back racing.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
