Max Verstappen made a bold move to win F1 Imola GP at the start, as Lando Norris worked strategy well from Oscar Piastri.
It was a clean start from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in F1 Imola GP under sunny conditions, but Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took the opportunity around the outside at Turn 2-3 sequence to take the lead in a bold move. The Australian’s slower start disallowed Mercedes’ George Russell to push through.
McLaren’s Lando Norris steadied in fourth from Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Williams pair of Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon in fifth, sixth and seventh. The other Aston Martin of Lance Stroll was eighth from Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the Top 10.
The Monegasque managed to gain a place on Visa Cash App RB’s Isack Hadjar. He was up to ninth after passing Gasly after the Frenchman went wide on the gravel before rejoining down in 15th. Haas’ Esteban Ocon was first to pit on Lap 1 in order to go all the way.
Just outside the Top 10, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton lost out to Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli and despite try to pass through, he didn’t managed to regain track position. At the front, Verstappen had good margin on Piastri, but Russell came under pressure from Norris for couple of laps.
The Brit eventually made the move around the outside like Verstappen to take third in a bold move. Russell decided to pit but he lost out to Leclerc, who jumped not just the Brit but also Alonso for track position. Others like Sainz dived into the pits as well, along with Piastri.
But the Australian found himself behind the slower cars, while Verstappen and Norris continued to stretch out a lead at the front. Neither pitted having started on the medium tyres along with Albon and Hadjar in the Top 4, as Antonelli was the lead driver on an alternative strategy in fifth.
For the likes of Piastri, Leclerc, Russell and Sainz, it was about passing through traffic, while the ones ahead stretched out a lead. Norris eventually stopped on Lap 29 but to his bad luck, Ocon stopped at the side of the track a lap later to cause a Virtual Safety Car, in a boon for non-stoppers.
Majority of the field decided to pit as Verstappen had a lead of about 20s lead from Norris after Piastri was forced to pit the second time. The Australian dropped to fourth behind Albon, with Hadjar in fifth ahead of Antonelli, Hamilton, Alonso, Stroll and Leclerc in the Top 10 points places.
Leclerc lost out in the fight and had to repass Stroll to be ninth after re-start. Russell was 12th from Tsunoda and Sainz, but the Spaniard managed to pass the Japanese on re-start. Replays showed minor touch between the two when the Williams driver tried to pass him on the outside at Turn 2.
It was put under investigation, as Russell hustled himself back into the Top 10 after passing Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg and Stroll. Just ahead, Leclerc passed Alonso to be eighth behind Antonelli. And in front of him, Hamilton passed Hadjar to be fifth in a solid recovery drive from outside the Top 10.
Piastri caught the back of Albon in few laps and eventually made the move to take third just when the Thai was put under investigation for yellow flag infringement. The Williams driver was left to defend fourth from Hamilton, who was closing him at a good rate.
Leclerc moved up to sixth after passing Hadjar, as Antonelli was eighth from Russell. Hulkenberg slotted himself 10th, defending from Sainz after clearing both the Aston Martin cars. But the German couldn’t hold him back for long as Sainz managed to pass him soon to take 10th.
Tsunoda was up to 12th having done the same on the Aston Martin drivers, in his chase of Hulkenberg and Sainz. Things seemed normal until a full safety car on Lap 46 for Antonelli, who stopped at the side of the track. Verstappen decided to pit but Piastri didn’t, which allowed him to get in front of Norris.
Albon stayed out initially but pitted the next lap to be fifth behind Leclerc, who stayed out. Russell stayed out in sixth but Hamilton pitted to drop to seventh. Sainz didn’t pit to be eighth but Hadjar pitted to drop to ninth, while Hulkenberg was 10th on a used set ahead of Tsunoda and Gasly.
It took a bit of a long time to get it all cleared, leaving just about nine laps to the finish. It was a clean re-start as Verstappen retained the F1 Imola GP lead from Piastri and Norris. There was a look from Leclerc but the Monegasque stayed put from Albon, Russell and Hamilton in the Top 7.
Sainz was eighth from Hadjar, as Tsunoda passed Hulkenberg on the re-start to take 10th. There was a look in at the moment between Albon and Norris for their safety car line fight under the safety car but it was cleared. The Brit, meanwhile, started to close in on teammate Piastri for second.
He waited a lap but finally got through the Australian on the outside at Turn 2 to take second. Leclerc had to defend from Albon, as Hamilton passed Russell for sixth. The Brit had Sainz and Hadjar on his tail, with Tsunoda having to defend from Hulkenberg and Alonso.
The Spaniard passed the German in the chase of 10th against Tsunoda. In the fight for fourth, Albon tried a move on the outside at Turn 2, but was seemingly pushed off on the gravel which allowed Hamilton to sneak through. The move was put under investigation.
Hamilton quickly got through Leclerc to be fourth in the chase of Piastri, leaving Leclerc to defend from Albon, who was hustling the Monegasque hard. Eventually, Leclerc was asked to give back the place to the Thai, who got fifth in the end but not before enraging the Ferrari driver.
At the front, Verstappen had it under control to win F1 Imola GP by over six seconds from Norris and Piastri in the Top 3. Hamilton came close but had to be content with fourth after a strong recovery driver ahead of Albon, who continued his and Williams’ points run intact.
Leclerc was unhappy in sixth but he was cleared of his move. Russell was seventh from Sainz, who defended well from Hadjar as Tsunoda rounded out the Top 10 after starting from the pitlane and resisting late pressure from Alonso, who was on a fresh compound after pitting under safety car.
Hulkenberg was 12th from Gasly, Visa Cash App RB’s Liam Lawson, Stroll, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, Haas’ Oliver Bearman and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto to round out the 18 finishers.
