Max Verstappen wins the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix for the fourth time in a row
Image: Keystone
Max Verstappen ennobles Team Red Bull's 400th Grand Prix start with his victory
Image: Keystone
World championship leader Oscar Piastri (above) and Lando Norris have no real chance against Max Verstappen for once
Image: Keystone
The first pre-decisive scene: Max Verstappen in the Red Bull (left) makes a successful overtaking maneuver against Oscar Piastri in the McLaren
Image: Keystone
Nico Hülkenberg (left) and Gabriel Bortoleto come away empty-handed on the Sauber team's 600th Grand Prix weekend
Image: Keystone
Max Verstappen wins the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix for the fourth time in a row
Image: Keystone
Max Verstappen ennobles Team Red Bull's 400th Grand Prix start with his victory
Image: Keystone
World championship leader Oscar Piastri (above) and Lando Norris have no real chance against Max Verstappen for once
Image: Keystone
The first pre-decisive scene: Max Verstappen in the Red Bull (left) makes a successful overtaking maneuver against Oscar Piastri in the McLaren
Image: Keystone
Nico Hülkenberg (left) and Gabriel Bortoleto come away empty-handed on the Sauber team's 600th Grand Prix weekend
Image: Keystone
Max Verstappen wins the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix for the fourth time in a row. The Dutchman in the Red Bull wins ahead of Englishman Lando Norris and Australian Lando Norris in the McLaren.
18.05.2025, 16:43
18.05.2025, 18:57
SDA
The first decisive scene took place at the Autodromo Internazionale Dino e Enzo Ferrari shortly after the start. Verstappen overtook Piastri, who had started from pole position, on the second corner and immediately put a few reassuring meters of distance between himself and his first pursuer.
The seventh Grand Prix of the year, in which the Red Bull team was at the start of a Formula 1 race for the 400th time, continued to take a favorable course for the world champion. Piastri and his crew, influenced by an early first pit stop by Monegasque Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari, decided to change strategy from one to two stops to change tires - and were wrong in their decision.
Verstappen, like Piastri's team-mate Norris, left it at one pit stop for the time being and remained out of reach for the Australian. In addition, the Dutchman and the Englishman were able to have new tires fitted during a phase with a virtual safety car, with a reduced driving speed according to the regulations and correspondingly less time lost. The retirement of Frenchman Esteban Ocon in the Haas had made the neutralization necessary.
Verstappen seemed to be heading for an unchallenged victory. But things turned out differently. After three quarters of the distance, the young Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who had to let the Mercedes coast due to a defect on the way, required the lead car to make an appearance. The clear lead was gone, Piastri also moved up to second place at the expense of Norris, who had his tires changed again. However, the Briton turned the tables again in the internal duel five laps before the end.
However, Verstappen also remained out of Norris' reach. The title holder had already built up a considerable time advantage again and defended the top position with aplomb right to the finish. His fourth consecutive triumph in Imola was his second this year after his victory in the Japanese Grand Prix six weeks earlier. In the overall championship standings, the Dutchman in third place reduced his deficit on Piastri in the lead by 10 points to 22. Norris is 13 points behind in second place.
The Sauber team drivers also came away empty-handed on the 600th Grand Prix weekend for the Zurich-based racing team. The German Nico Hülkenberg finished the race in 12th place, while the Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto found himself at the bottom of the rankings with 18 classified drivers.
