Whereas followers of old fashioned venues could have needed to see Imola keep on the calendar, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix hasn’t at all times delivered since its fashionable F1 return. However Pirelli’s transfer in the direction of softer compounds, in addition to a race impacted by two neutralisations, gave us the strategic variance we craved for therefore lengthy at F1’s Imola GP.
The reigning world champion struck once more with an excellent lap one assault, whereas McLaren will probably be questioning why Purple Bull was capable of preserve tempo two weeks after a really completely different image over the last race.
Winner: Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing
Photograph by: Purple Bull Content material Pool
Following a run of Oscar Piastri victories and a miserable Miami Grand Prix wherein Max Verstappen completed 40 seconds adrift, Purple Bull may use a little bit of a lift – and Verstappen’s emphatic Imola win delivered simply that.
This time there weren’t any specific heroics in qualifying as Verstappen needed to cede pole to Piastri by the thinnest of margins. That was all quickly redundant due to a superb launch off the road and a late braking transfer across the exterior into Tamburello. Sure, Piastri may have executed extra to make life tough for the world champion, nevertheless it was one other great transfer that underlined how Verstappen nonetheless makes the distinction at Purple Bull.
However Verstappen led the early laps in Miami as properly, so what was actually pivotal was how a lot Purple Bull may preserve its rear tyres alive and eventually defeat McLaren at face worth – on a circuit the place degradation performed a key function. Imola isn’t McLaren’s favorite playground, however this weekend may nonetheless be essential to Purple Bull’s story arc this season.
Losers: McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photograph by: Lars Baron / Motorsport Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
Having stated all that, McLaren’s race efficiency was nonetheless not as robust as anticipated. Piastri was unfortunate with the timing of the primary (digital) security automotive, however neither he nor team-mate Lando Norris may take important chunks of day trip of Verstappen’s lead on both the medium or onerous tyres.
There may be clearly no motive to panic both – simply two weeks after a crushingly dominant Miami show – and additional upgrades are forthcoming, however there’s a feeling that the 2025 season simply obtained a shot within the arm. Has Purple Bull discovered the solutions to take the combat to McLaren at a variety of circuits? McLaren remains to be extending its championship lead, nonetheless, because it has two drivers up on the podium – which is one thing Purple Bull can nonetheless solely dream of.
Loser: Yuki Tsunoda
Yuki Tsunoda, Purple Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing
Photograph by: Purple Bull Content material Pool
And that is as a result of Yuki Tsunoda hasn’t actually been capable of kick on but at Purple Bull, as evidenced by his enormous qualifying accident, which the Japanese driver took accountability for and stated it highlighted how he would not perceive the Purple Bull RB21 when driving it on the restrict.
What’s annoying for Tsunoda is that he regarded fairly snug with the automotive in Friday observe. However when the engine modes are turned up and each final ounce of pace counts, Tsunoda remains to be removed from the place he needs and must be.
It was nice to see the likeable Japanese driver step out unharmed and there was little incorrect along with his tenacious one-stop restoration drive from the pitlane to a degree in tenth. However writing off your complete automotive, simply as he bought on par with Verstappen relating to Purple Bull’s newest ground specification, goes to place him on the again foot on spare components and engine parts down the road. Tsunoda actually wants just a few clear weekends now.
Winner: Alex Albon
Alex Albon, Williams
Photograph by: Peter Fox / Getty Photographs
The Williams felt so fast that at one level Alex Albon was daydreaming about having a go on the McLaren of Piastri. It was a bit fanciful maybe, however the Anglo-Thai driver retains delivering the products for his group and stays comfortably eighth within the standings, nipping on the heels of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
The excellent news for Williams is that Carlos Sainz is correct there with Albon too, though it pitted the Spaniard too early, which led to him ending in eighth as a substitute. That slight misstep apart – if Williams’ goal is to maximise its potential earlier than its rivals deliver extra upgrades, then it is definitely working. For a group that has been so targeted on 2026, it positive has improved its short-term fortunes lots.
Loser: Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
Aston Martin was the massive winner of Saturday qualifying with Fernando Alonso putting fifth and Lance Stroll eighth. That got here after a chance to maintain an additional set of mediums on the expense of a second set of onerous tyres for the race. It was a calculated danger within the data that Sunday’s race can be a nailed on two-stopper, nevertheless it got here again to chunk the Silverstone group as two security automotive durations impacted the technique.
The group’s fortunes weren’t helped by very early stops to the onerous tyre, which left each Alonso and Stroll uncovered when Aston determined towards bringing the pair in below the second security automotive. Alonso was finally crushed to the ultimate level by the recovering Tsunoda, which meant Aston leaves Imola with out a simply reward for its complete improve bundle.
The excellent news is the brand new parts lastly appear to be a step ahead in most areas, giving Aston some a lot wanted perspective for the rest for 2025 – slightly than simply having to attend for a brand new daybreak in 2026.
Winner: Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Ferrari
Now we have not been capable of put Hamilton on this bracket all an excessive amount of this season, and the seven-time world champion definitely nonetheless has work on his plate. However his flawless drive from twelfth to fourth, aided by how the race unfolded but additionally backed up by real tempo, was soothing balm for a scratched soul after a debut Ferrari season that hasn’t precisely gone to plan.
The importance of his restoration drive going down on his first race in entrance of the tifosi was not misplaced on Hamilton, saying it gave him flashbacks of watching Michael Schumacher take in the adulation of the scarlet-clad hordes some 25 years in the past.
Time will inform if that is one other unicorn weekend or if it is the actual begin of Hamilton’s Ferrari period. However having lower a despondent determine in latest weeks, the seven-time champ regarded reinvigorated on Sunday afternoon. That is already a win in and of itself.
Loser: Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
Alpine and Haas may have earned a spot right here after a tough weekend, however finally we went with Mercedes due to its clear step backwards in race efficiency. George Russell certified properly – as he has executed all 12 months – however on his used mediums from qualifying he quickly misplaced contact with Verstappen and Piastri, and rear axle overheating saved impacting the group’s tempo and technique, that means it needed to pit early and convert to a two-stopper.
That issue of optimising the tyres appears to be a transparent development that has carried over from final 12 months, when the group’s kind additionally fluctuated from circuit to circuit. The excellent news, nonetheless, is that its baseline efficiency is increased this 12 months.
On the opposite facet of the storage, Andrea Kimi Antonelli had a difficult weekend that ended along with his first grand prix retirement attributable to what the group defined was a throttle failure. Having certified thirteenth, Antonelli admitted that his first dwelling race in Imola wasn’t his best weekend but and given the eye on the 19-year-old Bologna native, maybe that’s comprehensible too.
Learn Additionally:
Very like how a high-profile Monza crash on his rookie FP1 outing was an necessary studying alternative final 12 months, so too was the way in which he and Mercedes dealt with the excitement round his homecoming below the watchful eye of followers, household and pals.
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