New Delhi: Max Verstappen takes four consecutive wins at Imola, in what was the defending World Champion’s finest race this season. Starting on P2, Verstappen remained unchallenged for most of the race as he took home his second win of the season. A typical Imola race, with more drama and clever overtakes, saw Formula One come to the European shore for the first time this season.
Verstappen had an amazing start to the race, taking the lead by the second corner itself as Piastri failed to keep his place against the four-time world champion. The Dutchman administered his overtake from the outside, braking late. Despite a late safety car period, Verstappen was able to hold his nerve and take his 65th grand win of his career.
VERSTAPPEN WINS THE EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX!! 🏆
A champion’s drive from Max 💪#F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/Ey20FJsoyg
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 18, 2025
Two McLarens fight for second place
For most of the race, it was the two McLarens who were fighting for second place, with both ensuring their podium finishes. Piastri had a three-race winning streak coming to the weekend, but finished third, as he lost the second place to his teammate with just five laps remaining in the race.
For Piastri, the two-stop strategy and a bad timing of the virtual safety car denied him a better finish. Briefly, the Australian driver took the second place during a late safety car, but Norris managed to go past him when the safety car returned to the pits and the British driver tore past his teammate.
Esteban Ocon retired from the race in the 30th lap, the first retirement of the season for the Hass. However, it was Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s retirement, racing in front of his home, that had almost jeopardised the race standings. Coming to the home of Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton also got one of his best finishes at the Prancing Horse team, finishing fourth, while his teammate Charles Leclerc finished sixth.
Both the Williams had an amazing outing with Alex Albon finishing fifth, having held off the two Ferraris for most of the season and at one point, sitting in the podium place, looked close to taking a third finish. His teammate, Carlos Sainz, also finished eighth. However, the two Aston Martins were disappointing, particularly Fernando Alonso whose pace in the qualifying, looked like would give the Spaniard his first points of the season but he finishes on the 11th place.
The race for the world championship has tightened, with Piastri’s lead cut by Norris to 13 points while Verstappen is standing in the difference of just 22 points from the top of the table. With Imola likely to be missing from next year’s F1 calendar, it might have been the perfect farewell for one of the most famed and historic races of the season.
Driver of the Day
In what was Lewis Hamilton’s finest performance in the season and finish at Ferrari, the British driver displayed why he has been crowned the World Champion seven times, a record he jointly holds with Michael Schumacher. It had been a disappointing qualifying for Hamilton, as he finished 12th on the grid on Saturday. However, it was a different story on Sunday.
Taking an eight-place leap, Hamilton was quick through the long straights and managed to give both his teammate Charles Leclerc and Williams driver Alex Albon. Finishing just outside the podium, for Hamilton, it was a crucial outing, as he had found the correct combinations today.
Max Verstappen wins fourth consecutive race at the Imola, as Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton secures a fourth place, his best finish for the Italian team. Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
