Milestone for Red Bull in Italy
The championship is heating up, with Verstappen back as a winner.
It was Red Bull’s 400th grand prix victory and a 65th win for Max Verstappen at the Emilia Romagna, formerly Imola, last Sunday.
He overtook Oscar Piastri in a sweeping move round the outside at the first corner and never looked back.
Max was spot on for the occasion and this made him invincible.
The McLarens of Lando Norris and Piastri did not set the pace this time and could make no impression on the Flying Dutchman.
Piastri lay second for much of the event, after starting on pole. Teammate Norris only passed him late in the race.
The race was briefly interrupted by a virtual race car and a full race car period, which Verstappen used for his tyre stop, for his own benefit.
After the top three came Lewis Hamilton with a superb drive for fourth place.
Both Ferraris started lower down, but succeeded in making up places later in the race.
Alexander Albon did a good job for Williams to come home fifth, with Charles Leclerc only three seconds behind him, in the second red and white car.
Thankfully they took out the big splash of blue of the red cars for the Tofiso!
In seventh position was the Mercedes of George Russell, this time on his own as Kimi Antonelli did not finish the race.
The much improved Williams team also put their second car, driven by Carlos Sainz, into eighth position.
In ninth and 10th places respectively were Isack Hadjar in the racing Bull and Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull.
They both drove a top notch race, especially after Tsunoda’s dramatic crash in practice into the barriers and catch fence.
He was fortunate to get away unscathed, but his car was a mess.
Hats off to Red Bull for getting the car back to racing trim and Tsunoda for earning the last point of the day.
Remember, the second half of the field, from 11th to 20th positions, earn no points at all.
We now have the second of a triple header of races at Monaco this Sunday and the third in Spain thereafter.
The title battle at the front is still very much between Piastri, Norris and Verstappen.
A huge amount will count in qualifying at Monaco for who gets pole position and other higher up places.
The long range weather forecast also predicts that there may be rain in Monte Carlo for the coming weekend, so that results could be a bit of a lottery.
The gem of the crown race will still shine through, demanding a hundred percent concentration, a hundred percent of the time.
Who will add their name as winner of the prestigious event?
DRIVERS
1 Oscar Piastri 146
2 Lando Norris 133
3 Max Verstappen 124
4 George Russell 99
5 Charles Leclerc 61
6 Lewis Hamilton 53
7 Kimi Antonelli 48
8 Alexander Albon 40
9 Esteban Ocon 14
10 Lance Stroll 14
CONSTRUCTORS
1 McLaren 279
2 Mercedes 147
3 Red Bull 131
4 Ferrari 114
5 Williams 51
HAVE YOUR SAY
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