Emilia Romagna GP: Verstappen kills McLaren strategy as Ferrari sal….read more
Emilia Romagna GP: Verstappen kills McLaren strategy as Ferrari sal….read more
Max Verstappen delivered a clinical performance at Imola to take a well-earned victory at the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, neutralizing McLaren’s bold strategic gamble and showcasing his signature racecraft. While McLaren’s Oscar Piastri made multiple daring overtakes during the race, it was Verstappen’s decisive move around the outside of Tamburello on the opening lap that proved most pivotal, setting the tone for a dominant drive.
Starting from second on the grid, Verstappen faced pole-sitter Piastri for the fourth straight Grand Prix where the Red Bull and McLaren locked out the front row. But once the lights went out, it was the Dutchman who seized the advantage, executing a sweeping pass on the outside of Turn 2 to snatch the lead. That single move gave him control of the race, despite McLaren’s attempt to outfox him with a split strategy.
McLaren opted to run Piastri on a two-stop strategy, contrasting with teammate Lando Norris, who stayed out longer on his first stint. Verstappen, however, kept both drivers at bay with a measured pace, navigating the high-pressure situation with ease. A Safety Car on Lap 54 threatened to shake things up, but Verstappen handled the restart perfectly, maintaining the lead and ultimately crossing the line ahead of Norris and Piastri.
Behind them, Ferrari salvaged pride at their home race. Although not in contention for the win, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz delivered determined performances. Leclerc, who started outside the top ten, quickly made up ground, climbing to ninth by Lap 4 after a brave move on Pierre Gasly, who ran wide and kicked up dust. Sainz, meanwhile, kept close to the leading midfield pack throughout the race, contributing to a double points finish for the Scuderia.
George Russell had a solid start, initially running in third place ahead of Norris, Fernando Alonso, and Sainz. Lewis Hamilton, starting on the hard compound tyres, lost ground early on, slipping to 13th. He later found himself locked in a tight DRS train spanning from Russell in third down to Hamilton in 12th—just eight seconds covering the entire group.
Elsewhere, young talents were making waves, and mistakes. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli came under intense pressure from Hamilton, while Williams’ Franco Colapinto made an error and dropped to 17th after putting his wheels in the dirt. Haas rolled the dice early, with Esteban Ocon pitting at the end of Lap 1 for hard tyres, possibly gambling on a one-stop strategy.
In the end, though, the story of the day was Verstappen’s blend of aggression and composure. With his second win of the season, he reasserts his championship credentials, while McLaren walks away knowing their strategy may have been bold—but Verstappen’s brilliance was simply untouchable.
