Breaking:F1 Results Today: Lewis Hamilton launches stellar comeback as McLaren beaten by… read more
F1 Results Today: Lewis Hamilton launches stellar comeback as McLaren beaten by… read more
Max Verstappen claimed another commanding win at the 2025 Imola Grand Prix, ending McLaren’s recent dominance in Formula 1. The Red Bull star seized the lead from Oscar Piastri on the opening lap with a daring late-brake move into Tamburello and never looked back, even as chaos unfolded behind him. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Piastri put up a strong fight, but it wasn’t enough to deny the reigning world champion his latest victory.
Despite a slow start to his weekend, Lewis Hamilton produced a remarkable comeback to finish fourth—his best result of the season so far. The Ferrari driver, along with Charles Leclerc, had failed to make it into Q3 during Saturday’s qualifying. However, Hamilton powered through the field on race day, overtaking Alex Albon and Leclerc in the final 10 laps. His determined drive earned praise from fans and a special dedication to the tifosi at Imola.
McLaren’s hopes of outsmarting Verstappen with an undercut during the first round of pit stops were dashed when Piastri’s stop was slower than expected. Their problems were compounded when a virtual safety car (VSC) was triggered by Esteban Ocon, who retired his Haas on the grass. The timing worked in Verstappen’s favor, allowing him to pit under VSC conditions and retain a strong lead over both McLarens.
Verstappen had built an 18-second cushion by Lap 45, seemingly cruising to an easy victory. However, the race took another dramatic turn when Kimi Antonelli stopped at Turn 7 with an engine issue, bringing out a full safety car. The field bunched up for a 10-lap sprint to the finish, wiping out Verstappen’s advantage. But the Dutchman kept his cool on the restart and pulled away from the McLarens, who were too busy battling each other to mount a challenge.
Elsewhere, the race was not short on drama. Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin suffered a fiery brake issue that caused his front-left tire to catch fire as he exited the pits. Despite the scare, the veteran managed to finish the race in 11th.
The final race classification saw Verstappen first, followed by Norris and Piastri in second and third. Hamilton finished fourth, ahead of Albon in an impressive fifth for Williams. Leclerc, Russell, Sainz, Hadjar, and Tsunoda completed the top 10.
Max Verstappen remains the reigning world champion, having secured his fourth title in 2024. This season features a notable rule change: the fastest lap point has been scrapped. Since its introduction in 2019, the extra point had often influenced race strategies. One memorable incident occurred during Daniel Ricciardo’s final F1 appearance in 2024, when he pitted late and set the fastest lap despite finishing last—denying Norris the point and indirectly assisting Verstappen’s title bid.
With Verstappen’s continued dominance and veterans like Hamilton showing flashes of brilliance, the 2025 season is shaping up to be another thrilling chapter in Formula 1.
