Verstappen reigns supreme at Imola, but the papaya boys still hold the F1 lead

Oscar Piastri secured pole position for the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola. Driving for McLaren, Piastri posted a fastest lap time of 1:14.670 during the qualifying session, narrowly edging out Red Bull's Max Verstappen by 0.034 seconds. This achievement marked Piastri's third pole position of the season. However, Max took full advantage of the new upgrades. Yes, Red Bull Racing introduced a series of significant upgrades to their RB21 car ahead of the Grand Prix. These enhancements were aimed at improving aerodynamic efficiency and overall performance to better compete with rivals like McLaren.

What happened at qualifying?

The qualifying session was notably eventful, featuring two significant incidents. Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull experienced a severe crash at the Villeneuve chicane, which led to his car rolling over; fortunately, he emerged unscathed. Additionally, Franco Colapinto of Alpine spun out at Tamburello, bringing further drama to the session.

First Lap drama at Imola!

Overtaking pole-sitter Oscar Piastri at the start with a daring move on the outside, Verstappen led confidently to win his 65th career race and second of the season, maintaining a winning streak at Imola since 2021.

McLaren’s Lando Norris finished second, passing teammate Piastri seven laps from the end, reducing Piastri’s championship lead over him to 13 points. Piastri, who had aimed for a fourth consecutive win, finished third after missing strategic opportunities during safety car periods and acknowledging braking too early at the start.

How safety car helped change the results!

Lewis Hamilton had a notable fourth-place finish for Ferrari, recovering from a poor qualifying to deliver his best result of the season so far. Alex Albon impressed with a fifth-place finish for Williams, while Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Carlos Sainz rounded out the top eight. Notably, Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda scored a point despite starting from the pit lane. Fernando Alonso's misfortunes continued as he finished 11th, extending his scoreless season.

Could this possibly be the last F1 race held at Imola?

This victory brings Verstappen closer in the championship standings, now trailing Piastri by 22 points. The race also highlighted Red Bull's strategic acumen, with team principal Christian Horner expressing optimism that this win could be a turning point in the season.

The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix may have been Imola's final appearance on the F1 calendar, as the circuit faces potential exclusion due to the sport's expansion into new markets.