F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix: Verstappen Beats Norris to Win Imola Race

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed a vital win at the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after a daring move on Oscar Piastri at Turn 1. Verstappen led the race from the start and managed his tyres and pace well. Two perfectly timed Safety Car periods worked in his favour. Despite late pressure from Lando Norris, Verstappen held his nerve and secured another key F1 victory, strengthening his position in the Formula 1 championship standings.

McLaren scored a strong double podium in the Emilia Romagna GP, with Lando Norris finishing second and Oscar Piastri third. Norris gained two positions and closed in on Verstappen during the final laps, but couldn’t make a move. Piastri struggled with tyre wear after a late Safety Car, losing out in the sprint to the flag.

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Lewis Hamilton impressed in Imola by finishing fourth after starting from 12th on the grid. The Ferrari driver used the Safety Car periods to his advantage and climbed through the field with smart overtakes. This performance marked Ferrari’s best result in a Grand Prix so far this season and provided a timely confidence boost for the team in front of their home fans.

Williams driver Alex Albon finished fifth in Imola after a thrilling last-lap overtake on Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Albon kept a strong and consistent pace and delivered under pressure. Leclerc dropped to sixth after failing to defend in the closing stages. George Russell finished seventh for Mercedes, followed by Carlos Sainz in the second Williams and rookie Isack Hadjar, who scored two points.

Yuki Tsunoda made a strong recovery drive from the pit lane to finish 10th. After a Qualifying crash, Tsunoda stayed focused to grab the final point.

Fernando Alonso finished 11th, just outside the points for Aston Martin. His teammate Lance Stroll came home in 15th. Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg ended 12th, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and rookie Franco Colapinto finished 13th and 16th.

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Local favourite Kimi Antonelli retired due to throttle issues, ending his home race in disappointment. Esteban Ocon also retired with a mechanical problem, leaving Haas without points at Imola.