The lights went out at Imola and it was a clean start but still full of action. Oscar Piastri got off the line well from pole, same as George Russell from third but it was Max Verstappen who made the most decisive move, diving through the first chicane to snatch the lead from the McLaren. Piastri was immediately criticised by Russell for being too cautious into Turn 1, a mistake that allowed Verstappen past both of them.

By Lap 3, Verstappen had already broken DRS and started pulling away. The gap to Piastri was growing steadily, with commentators noting it would be a tough task for the Australian to fight back. Behind them, Pierre Gasly ran wide and dropped from P9 to P14 after a battle with Charles Leclerc.

By Lap 7, Verstappen’s lead had stretched to 1.8 seconds. Norris, running just behind Piastri, was showing strong pace, and pressure was building on McLaren to allow him through. Norris had a few close looks at Russell’s Mercedes, eventually clearing him on Lap 12 with a bold move into Variante Villeneuve to take P3.

Pit stops in the top 10 began by Lap 11, with Leclerc being the first one to go for a tyre chnage. Piastri followed shortly after, but after a slower stop rejoined in traffic behind Tsunoda, costing him time.

Meanwhile, Verstappen stayed out and extended the gap to over 10 seconds. On the other hand, the early pit stop has worked out from Leclerc, who thanks to the undercut got ahead of Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso and even Russell.

The race took a dramatic turn on Lap 30 when Esteban Ocon’s Haas came to a halt on the side of the track, triggering a yellow flag and soon after, a Virtual Safety Car. It was a nightmare moment for Lando Norris, who had just made his pit stop seconds before the VSC was deployed, losing valuable time as others benefited from slower pit lane delta under caution. Charles Leclerc also wasn't happy with it as he was hoping all those cars will end up behind him.

In contrast, the timing played perfectly into the hands of Alex Albon and especially Max Verstappen, who stayed out longer and pitted under the VSC, saving significant time. Piastri also came in during the VSC but rejoined behind both Norris and Albon, with a 33-second gap to the race leader. The McLaren driver found himself needing to carve his way through traffic, while Verstappen cruised comfortably out front.

Carlos Sainz was left frustrated after contact with Yuki Tsunoda, comparing the incident to a similar clash between them earlier in the season in Bahrain, which ended his race. 

By Lap 34, the order had reshuffled due to pit strategies. Verstappen led comfortably ahead of Norris in second and Albon in third, both on one-stop strategies. Piastri, now on a two-stopper, sat fourth but with work to do. Behind him were Hadjar, Antonelli, Hamilton, Alonso, Leclerc, and Stroll completing the top ten.

Just as the race was settling into its second half, it was turned upside down again. On Lap 45, Kimi Antonelli stopped on track, triggering a full Safety Car. Verstappen took the opportunity to pit and rejoin with fresh tyres, keeping the lead. Albon also initially stayed out, making him vulnerable on old rubber, while others scrambled to react.

The order quickly shifted as some benefited and others lost out due to pit timing. Leclerc was told he had to stay out as Ferrari didn’t have a tyre compound that could last to the end. Piastri didn't pit as well. By Lap 48 under the Safety Car, the running order was: Verstappen, Piastri, Norris, Albon, Leclerc, Russell, Hamilton, Sainz, Hadjar, and Hulkenberg.

Meanwhile, tension was building within McLaren. Norris, now on newer tyres, began hinting that he should be allowed past Piastri, who hadn’t stopped again. Team boss Zak Brown had said previously the two would be free to race, but this situation looked primed for a team orders dilemma.

The race resumed at the end of Lap 53 following a lengthy Safety Car period. Verstappen executed the restart perfectly, keeping the lead cleanly as the field held position into Turn 1. However, drama was already brewing behind.

Lando Norris and Alex Albon were both noted for a potential Safety Car infringement, but race control soon confirmed no further action would be taken. With just 10 laps remaining, McLaren was in a tight spot as Norris was on fresher tyres and clearly faster, but still behind teammate Piastri in the battle for P2.

As the laps ticked down, McLaren allowed their drivers to race. Norris made a clean and decisive move on Lap 56, diving past Piastri to take second. It was fair and respectful, exactly what team boss Zak Brown had hoped for. With Verstappen already three seconds up the road and flying, Norris began the chase.

Further down, Lewis Hamilton passed George Russell for P6, while Albon launched an attack on Charles Leclerc for P5. The Ferrari driver defended hard, forcing Albon wide in a controversial move. Hamilton then took advantage and passed Leclerc himself, moving into P4, while Albon dropped to sixth. The incident drew the attention of race control, and Leclerc was eventually ordered to give P5 to Albon.

As Verstappen extended his lead to over five seconds, it was clear he wasn’t going to be caught. On the final lap, he cruised home to secure victory in Red Bull’s 400th Grand Prix, a symbolic and dominant win.

Behind him, Norris took a strong second place, with Piastri completing a double podium for McLaren. Hamilton’s late charge earned him fourth, followed by Leclerc and Albon. Russell finished seventh just ahead of Sainz and Hadjar. Tsunoda completed top ten after starting from the pit lane.

2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix results: