Max Verstappen seals superb Emilia-Romagna GP win ahead of McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri

Reigning champion Max Verstappen secured an impressive victory at Sunday's Emilia-Romagna GP after taking control of the race on the first lap. The Red Bull driver overtook pole-sitter Piastri in audacious fashion around the outside of the first chicane after the start and fought off both McLarens for the full 63 laps to claim his fourth win at Imola. Norris had passed Piastri to claim second place. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton produced a rousing display for the Italian fans, taking his Ferrari from 12th on the grid to finish in fourth with teammate Charles Leclerc adding further cheer for the tifosi as he brought home the second Ferrari in sixth. Alexander Albon, who started on the fourth row of the grid, followed his fifth place in Miami with another fifth in Imola, his Williams teammate Carlos Sainz coming home eighth. Piastri heads the championship with 146 points, 13 clear of Norris and 22 ahead of Verstappen. “The start itself wasn’t particularly great but I was still on the normal line and I thought I would try to send it round the outside and it worked really well,” said the Dutch four-time world champion after sealing the 65th win of his career and the 116th podium place with Red Bull. “That then unleashed our pace because we once we were in the lead, the car was good and I could look after my tyres, we had very good pace on today. “I’m incredibly proud of everyone, it’s been a very important week for us and the car has performed really well and also I think the execution of the whole race was very good.” Piastri had started the race as favourite for a fourth win in a row, and fifth in seven races, but lost out as Verstappen went around the outside into turn one on the opening lap and pulled away. A virtual safety car halfway through the race also worked against him. A late real safety car bunched up the field but Verstappen was never in any real danger from the McLarens and took the chequered flag 6.109 seconds clear of Norris. Piastri admitted that he had lost the race at the opening corner. “I just braked too early, it was a good move by Max,” he said. “It was disappointing, but we made a few wrong calls after that. It wasn't our best Sunday, there's a few things to look at and review. “Well done to Max and Red Bull, they had pace today. We'll look back and see what we can do better.” Teammate Norris admitted Verstappen was a worthy winner. “It was a long race, from that perspective it was not easy to overtake but we did what we could,” he said. “Max drove a good race, they were quick today, probably a little quicker. We had a good little battle at the end between Oscar and myself which was tense, but always good fun. “A good race. For us as a team, second and third is great. Of course you would love to be up there fighting against Max but they were too good for us today.” Hamilton enjoyed an impressive race despite a nightmare time in qualifying for the team and even managed to pass Leclerc in the hectic closing laps thanks to much fresher tyres. “It was really special for me to see the sea of red but it looks like one of the biggest crowds we've had here,” said Hamilton. “It felt vintage, it felt like back in the day when I was watching Michael [Schumacher] race here, it was a really great to see and experience. “I definitely didn't expect us to finish fourth, I didn't know where we would be able to come given we were so far back. “I was calm and I think he was calm and the team were calm in executing the strategy and the pit stops were awesome. “Overall, mega! I was hoping for some extra laps and maybe we could have fought for a podium.” McLaren (279 points) keep their noses in front in the contructors' championship thanks to another double podium and they now lead second-placed Mercedes (147) by 132 points. Red Bull (131) and Ferrari (114) stay in third and fourth and fifth-placed Williams (51) pull further away from Haas (20) in sixth.

Max Verstappen seals superb Emilia-Romagna GP win ahead of McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri

Red Bull's reigning world champion takes second victory of season while Lewis Hamilton secures unexpected fourth spot at Imola