Max Verstappen claimed a dramatic victory at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, after holding off a late charge from Lando Norris. The Red Bull driver extended his championship lead over Charles Leclerc with the win.
Verstappen and Norris engaged in an intense battle throughout the race, with Verstappen initially having trouble both in practice and at the start. However, he dominated after his pitstop.
Norris finished second for McLaren, while Leclerc took third place for Ferrari. Carlos Sainz was fourth and Oscar Piastri fifth in the second McLaren.
Verstappen's win marked his third at Imola and the fifth of his career. He admitted that he had to work hard for the victory, pushing flat out to make a gap despite struggling with tyre management towards the end of the race.
Norris expressed frustration after coming close but ultimately falling short. Leclerc also finished on the podium, acclaimed by Italian fans at Ferrari's heartland.
Verstappen's win came after unexpectedly lower tyre degradation and set-up work completed at Red Bull's factory ahead of qualifying. Norris gained slightly on Verstappen at the start but couldn't make an attack due to missing DRS.
Oscar Piastri finished in a lower position than expected due to his starting position, while other notable drivers such as Carlos Sainz, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Sergio Perez, and Yuki Tsunoda also featured in the race.
