Verstappen climbs to the top at legendary circuit as title fight heats up!

Verstappen climbs to the top at legendary circuit as title fight heats up! Verstappen climbs to the top at legendary circuit as title fight heats up! https://innews.az/en/news/id-47176

Just days after marking its 75th anniversary, the Formula 1 World Championship shifted gears to the iconic Imola circuit for the start of its European season. While the very first Grand Prix was held at Silverstone back in May 1950, this weekend, teams and fans gathered at Imola — a historic circuit named after Enzo and Dino Ferrari — for another weekend of action and intense racing.

After six flyaway rounds and a two-week break, teams touched down in Imola with a host of upgrades in hand. Friday’s opening practice session was all about gathering data on those updates, while the afternoon session shifted focus to tire compound performance. McLaren set the pace in both sessions, with championship leader Oscar Piastri topping the timesheets. Come Saturday, it was Lando Norris who edged ahead in final practice, narrowly beating his teammate.

However, qualifying brought disappointment for the local crowd. Italy’s only driver, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, failed to make it into the final session, while Ferrari was eliminated in Q2. In the final session, Oscar Piastri secured his third pole of the season, narrowly beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen. The second row was formed by George Russell (Mercedes) and Lando Norris (McLaren).

The main race on Sunday featured decisive moments in the early corners. Max Verstappen made a bold move at Tamburello to take the lead, delighting local fans. Tactical battles followed; an early pit stop pushed Oscar back, while Max and Lando maintained their positions by avoiding an early stop. A Virtual Safety Car, triggered by Esteban Ocon’s car issue, allowed Max and Lando to build a gap. A full Safety Car later neutralized the race.

After the restart, Verstappen defended his lead amid a fierce battle behind him. In the final 10 laps, fans witnessed numerous overtakes. Lando eventually overtook his teammate Oscar. Meanwhile, Ferrari fans cheered as Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, made his way up to fourth place.

Max Verstappen clinched his second win of the season and 65th career victory. It also marked his fourth consecutive win at Imola, celebrating Red Bull’s 400th race in style. The podium was completed by McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Hamilton delivered his best result for Ferrari. Alex Albon (Williams) finished fifth, while Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) came sixth.

With victory at Imola, Verstappen narrows the gap in the standings, now sitting on 124 points — just 9 behind Lando Norris and 22 adrift of Oscar Piastri. In the Constructors’ Championship, McLaren continues to dominate.

The action will pick up this weekend at one of motorsport’s most iconic venues — the Monaco Grand Prix.