Max Verstappen claims Imola GP victory, breaks McLaren’s winning streak

Full F1 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Results – Max Verstappen got back to his winning ways with a remarkable Imola GP victory after overcoming McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in a first-lap overtake.

The race, held at the historic Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, unfolded with drama, strategic gambles and a showcase of driving brilliance that will be remembered as one of the season’s defining moments.

The anticipation was palpable as the grid lined up with Oscar Piastri on pole after a razor-thin qualifying margin over Max Verstappen. The Australian looked poised to extend his recent run of form with a much deserved Imola GP victory but as the lights went out Verstappen’s intent was immediately clear.

Despite a less-than-ideal launch, the reigning Formula 1 world champion executed a breathtaking move at the Tamburello chicane. Braking later than anyone else Verstappen swept around the outside of Piastri, narrowly staying within track limits and forcing the McLaren driver to yield the lead.

This audacious overtake set the tone for the afternoon and underscored the Dutchman’s relentless pursuit of victory.

The opening laps saw Verstappen begin to build a gap while Norris, starting behind, found himself initially bottled up behind George Russell’s Mercedes. Norris’s persistence paid off with a bold move to clear Russell but by then Verstappen had already started to stretch his advantage.

Piastri, meanwhile, was forced to pit early after experiencing tire graining, a decision mirrored by Russell and several others who gambled on a two-stop strategy. The congested midfield made progress difficult for early stoppers with Piastri having to rely on a series of assertive overtakes to claw his way back into contention.

The complexion of the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix shifted dramatically on lap 29 when Esteban Ocon’s Haas ground to a halt, triggering a Virtual Safety Car (VSC).

Verstappen who had yet to pit seized the opportunity for a low-cost stop while Norris had just completed his own stop moments before the VSC was deployed.

The timing allowed Verstappen to extend his lead while Piastri and other early pitters took the chance to pit again, recalibrating their strategies for the second half of the race.

As the laps ticked by, Norris began to erode Verstappen’s lead but the Dutchman managed his pace and tires expertly, never allowing the gap to shrink to a threatening margin.

However, the race took another twist when Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes suffered a mechanical failure near the same spot as Ocon, prompting a full Safety Car. This neutralized Verstappen’s lead and brought the field back together, setting the stage for a tense final stint.

Both Max Verstappen and Lando Norris pitted for fresh tires while Oscar Piastri, now on older rubber, found himself promoted to second place for the restart.

At the green flag, the Red Bull star wasted no time reasserting his dominance, pulling clear of the McLarens to secure a comfortable win. Norris benefiting from fresher tires closed in on his teammate and executed a decisive pass at Tamburello to claim second place.

Verstappen’s Imola GP victory marked Red Bull’s 400th Formula 1 race and his second win of the 2025 F1 season, reinforcing his status as a leading contender in the championship.

Piastri despite his promising performance earlier on was left to defend third, his race compromised by the timing of the safety car interventions and his tire strategy.

Behind the leading trio the battle for the remaining points positions was fierce. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton delivered his best performance of the season, finishing fourth after a strategic race that saw him capitalize on the timing of the safety cars and a strong stint on the hard compound tyre.

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Alex Albon produced a standout drive for Williams, splitting the Ferraris to claim fifth while Charles Leclerc recovered from a difficult qualifying session to finish sixth for the Scuderia, salvaging valuable points for the team in front of their home crowd.

George Russell’s race for Mercedes was less than stellar by his recent standards. After an early stint that saw him lose ground and prompt a flurry of early pit stops from rivals, Russell could only manage seventh narrowly fending off Carlos Sainz in the second Williams.

Sainz for his part continued his consistent run of points finishes demonstrating Williams’ growing competitiveness in the midfield.

The lower reaches of the top ten saw Isack Hadjar score valuable points for Racing Bulls with a strong ninth-place finish while Yuki Tsunoda, recovering from a heavy qualifying crash, rounded out the points for Red Bull.

Fernando Alonso just missed out in eleventh for Aston Martin followed by Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly both of whom struggled to make significant progress in a race where overtaking remained at a premium.

F1 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Results – Imola