After an excellent qualifying on Saturday, there seemed to be no problem for Verstappen for a long time a day later, but at the end of the race Norris quickly came closer. However, Verstappen turned out to be cool – not for the first time – and kept the Brit behind him.
It was a double celebration for Verstappen because his sim racing team Team Redline won the virtual 24 Hours of the Nürburgring. Verstappen also spent several hours climbing into his simulator in his motorhome, near the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, on Saturday evening and Sunday morning to cover the necessary kilometers.
Verstappen’s lead over the new number two in the World Cup standings, Leclerc, is now 48 points. Sergio Pérez finished eighth on Sunday and is now third in the battle for the championship, 54 points behind Verstappen.
Question marks beforehand
Verstappen went into the Grand Prix with some doubts because the setup of his car had been worked on on Saturday before the start of qualifying, and the long runs (race simulation) did not feel particularly good.
The positive changes towards qualifying, in which Verstappen captured pole position, also appeared to have an effect towards the race. The Limburger had a good start, didn’t give Norris a chance, and then steadily pulled away because he was a few tenths faster on each lap than the previous race winner. Behind them were Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. The latter kept Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri behind him, despite the Australian pushing hard in the early stages. However, overtaking in Imola once again proved to be very difficult, an image that will normally repeat itself in a week’s time in Monaco. Piastri eventually passed Sainz thanks to an earlier pit stop.
Warning for Verstappen
As expected, without major incidents, it was a one-stopper for most drivers in Imola. Verstappen ultimately only lost his lead for three laps due to his pit stop and the fact that the Ferrari drivers and Lewis Hamilton continued to drive longer. After their stops, Verstappen regained the lead.
The Red Bull driver still had to watch out for a penalty after receiving the black and white warning flag because he had already exceeded the track limit three times before his pit stop. But then Verstappen neatly colored within the lines.
Norris attack
In the warm Imola, Leclerc launched an attack on Norris, but the Monegasque could not keep it up because at a certain point the tires could no longer cope with all those pushing laps in a row.
Verstappen also reported that he was having a hard time on his hard tires, and Norris suddenly came closer in the final phase. However, it was just not enough for the Englishman. Verstappen had just enough left to take the victory. Behind Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Sainz, Hamilton, Russell, Pérez, Stroll, and Tsunoda also finished in the points.
Last year, the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was canceled due to heavy rain and flooding in northern Italy. In the years before, Lewis Hamilton (2020) and Max Verstappen (2021 and 2022) won. It was only the fourth edition of the Emilia-Romagna GP.
Thanks to the win, World Cup leader Verstappen further widens his lead in the general classification. The classic on the street circuit in Monaco is scheduled for next Sunday.