Verstappen wins at Imola, Piastri fourth after grid penalty

Imola: Max Verstappen held off a challenge from McLaren’s Lando Norris to win the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola on Sunday and extend his Formula 1 championship lead.

Australian ace Oscar Piastri finished fourth for McLaren after qualifying second but being demoted on the grid when he received a three-place penalty for impeding.

Verstappen started on pole position and stayed ahead of Norris at the start but was put under pressure by the McLaren driver again near the end, winning by less than a second.

It was the defending champion’s fifth win in seven grand prix races this year and followed Verstappen being beaten by Norris in Miami two weeks ago.

Norris’ second place on Sunday underlined the McLaren team’s credentials to be the closest challenger to Verstappen and Red Bull this season. Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari.

Verstappen suggested he was relieved to make it to the chequered flag as Norris loomed behind him.

“Especially the last 10, 15 laps … I had no grip any more. I was really sliding a lot. I saw Lando closing in,” Verstappen said. “It’s very difficult when the tyres are not working any more and you have to go flat out, so I couldn’t afford to make too many mistakes. Luckily, we didn’t and super happy, of course, to win here today.”

In the end, Verstappen crossed the line just 0.7 seconds ahead of Norris.

“It hurts me to say it, but one or two more laps, I think I would have had him,” Norris said afterwards. “It would have been beautiful, but just not today.”