Max Verstappen laid the inspiration for his victory on the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix with an excellent overtake on Oscar Piastri throughout lap one at Imola.
The Crimson Bull Method 1 driver made a sweeping transfer across the outdoors of the Tamburello chicane to take a race lead he subsequently by no means misplaced.
Verstappen has made a behavior of overtaking at race begins, so right here’s a glance again at 5 different notable opening laps from the world champion, along with Imola 2025.
Imola 2021
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB16B, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, firstly
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
Beginning in chronological order, the primary is on the location the place Verstappen handed Piastri final Sunday: the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
The Dutchman has now gained 4 years in a row at Imola, with the primary victory of the streak coming through the intense title battle with Lewis Hamilton in 2021. The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was already the second race that season, following the opener in Bahrain.
Within the Center East, Hamilton and Verstappen had already battled, with Verstappen initially pondering he got here out on high, just for the result in be handed again after exceeding monitor limits.
In Imola, it got here to the primary actual conflict between the 2 title rivals – one in every of many who 12 months. On a moist monitor, Hamilton and Sergio Perez began from the entrance row, with Verstappen in P3. Nevertheless, in contrast to 2025, the Dutchman made a superb begin and by the point they reached the primary chicane he was already alongside pole-sitter Hamilton.
Verstappen claimed the within line at Tamburello, with Hamilton attempting to carry his floor on the skin – as the skin would grow to be the within on the second a part of the chicane. Nevertheless, there wasn’t sufficient room for 2 vehicles and Hamilton ended up off the monitor, shedding a part of his entrance wing over the sausage kerbs.
This profitable overtake gave Verstappen the lead, which he would convert right into a win in a relatively tumultuous race. Hamilton completed 22 seconds behind the Crimson Bull driver in second, however was lucky after ending up within the gravel lure on lap 31 and having to reverse out. A crimson flag attributable to Valtteri Bottas and George Russell saved the seven-time world champion from additional catastrophe.
Mexico 2021
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB16B, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12, Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes W12, Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren MCL35M, Sergio Perez, Crimson Bull Racing RB16B, and the remainder of the sector firstly
Photograph by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photos
The race in Imola was a precursor to a historic F1 season. When the F1 circus arrived in Mexico later that 12 months, the strain was already reaching a boiling level.
Verstappen had simply gained a contemporary traditional in Austin the week earlier than however wanted to win in Mexico Metropolis as nicely, as that monitor was thought-about beneficial for Crimson Bull as a result of excessive altitude. Nevertheless, Verstappen’s qualifying didn’t go as deliberate, that means he needed to line up third for Sunday’s race, giving Mercedes the right alternative with a entrance row lockout. With Bottas on pole and Hamilton alongside him, pre-race discussions primarily centred across the query: how might the Mercedes duo maintain off Verstappen on the lengthy straight resulting in the primary chicane?
Regardless of all pre-race discussions, Mercedes couldn’t convert the entrance row benefit into the specified outcome. The way in which Verstappen struck was similar to his latest overtake in Imola.
In Mexico, Verstappen took benefit of Bottas’ slipstream, who had Hamilton on the within. The Finn left the skin line utterly open, permitting Verstappen to get alongside, with the three vehicles heading in direction of the primary nook.
Similar to in Imola 2025, Verstappen was on the grippier racing line, permitting him to brake considerably later than his rivals and take the lead. For Bottas, it went from dangerous to worse within the opening lap, as he was spun round by Daniel Ricciardo. All this occurred far behind Verstappen, who gained by over 16 seconds. It could be his final win earlier than the nerve-wracking climax of the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi.
Belgium 2022
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB18, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR22, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari F1-75
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos
Half a 12 months later, the aggressive panorama in F1 seemed utterly totally different. The 2021 machines have been changed by ground-effect vehicles underneath the brand new rules. Whereas Mercedes suffered from porpoising, Ferrari was the early-season pacesetter.
Verstappen suffered from two DNF’s in Bahrain and Australia and acknowledged that it will take him 46 races to catch-up. However by the top of August, when the sector arrived at Spa-Francorchamps for the primary race after the summer time break, Crimson Bull already had the dominant bundle. Verstappen clocked the quickest time in qualifying, with greater than half a second lead over second-placed Charles Leclerc. Nevertheless, as a consequence of grid penalties for altering engine elements, Verstappen needed to begin from P14 on Sunday.
Carlos Sainz and Perez, ranging from the entrance row, fancied their probabilities, however after the primary lap, Verstappen was already in P8. With Pierre Gasly’s grid slot empty, Verstappen overtook Bottas, Nicholas Latifi, and Kevin Magnussen firstly, transferring as much as tenth by the point he reached La Supply hairpin.
From there, the championship chief performed it protected, particularly when Lance Stroll went off the monitor twice in entrance of him. It underlined Crimson Bull’s dominance: the automobile was fast sufficient, so Verstappen didn’t must take any dangers.
On lap 12, he ultimately handed team-mate Perez for the lead, finishing a exceptional cost by means of the sector from P14 to victory.
Japan 2022
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB18, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari F1-75
Photograph by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
Strictly talking, this wasn’t an overtaking transfer. Nevertheless, the way in which Verstappen held onto the lead within the first nook of Suzuka needs to be included within the checklist of his finest first-lap strikes.
Within the Land of the Rising Solar, rain was pouring down earlier than the race, and all groups had their tents up on the grid. When the motion lastly began with a standing begin, Leclerc had a significantly better getaway than Verstappen. The Ferrari driver was barely forward and had the within line going into the primary nook, however Verstappen took extra danger on the skin and managed to retake the lead.
As soon as once more, Verstappen discovered extra grip on the racing line, although this was relative within the rain. He later talked about he completely wished to maintain the lead, as it will give him clear visibility.
Nevertheless, that clear visibility was short-lived. After chaos within the opening lap and really poor visibility for the remainder of the sector, the race was red-flagged after the second lap. Following the long-awaited restart, Verstappen pulled away from the competitors by 27 seconds in a shortened 28-lap race, although the early crimson flag brought on confusion about whether or not full factors could be awarded.
Verstappen himself was not sure as nicely, resulting in amusing scenes behind the rostrum. “Ought to I sit there? However I’m not champion but? Oh, I’m? No, I’m not, proper? I’m? Are you certain?” When he was ultimately confirmed as world champion, his supervisor Raymond Vermeulen smiled and informed Motorosport.com within the paddock: “Evidently issues can by no means go usually with us.”
Brazil 2024
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing RB20, overtakes Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524
Photograph by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Photos
After a dominant 2023 season, Verstappen needed to struggle tougher for the world title in 2024. Crimson Bull began the 12 months sturdy, however from the Miami Grand Prix onward, the season took a dramatic flip as McLaren turned the strongest crew.
However due to an replace in Austin, issues improved barely for Crimson Bull through the last third of the season, but Verstappen nonetheless wanted another win to seal the championship. That victory got here in Brazil, though it didn’t appear to be it after a delayed qualifying session on Sunday morning. Verstappen obtained eradicated in Q2 as a consequence of a late crimson flag and needed to begin from P17 on a grid after taking an engine penalty.
“It was an emotional rollercoaster. After qualifying, I used to be extraordinarily pissed off once I obtained again to my room,” Verstappen mentioned.
However when the lights went out, the Dutchman was decided to not let his title hopes slip away with title rival Lando Norris on pole. By the top of the primary three corners, Verstappen was already in P11, having chosen the skin line on the Senna S – a transfer that had labored for him in 2016 as nicely, overtaking Nico Rosberg across the outdoors.
Verstappen then overtook Hamilton on the start-finish straight on the finish of the primary lap, that means he was already within the factors. It turned out to be the beginning of maybe essentially the most full race of his profession: successful within the Brazilian rain and taking an enormous step in direction of the fourth title that he would ultimately safe in Las Vegas.
Imola 2025
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photograph by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
The newest instance is, in fact, Imola 2025. This time Verstappen began from the entrance row, subsequent to polesitter and championship chief Piastri, however had a poor begin. The Crimson Bull driver additionally noticed George Russell passing him, momentarily dropping Verstappen to 3rd.
Nevertheless, he positioned his RB21 nicely. After checking each mirrors, Verstappen ensured that Russell couldn’t come throughout, stopping the Mercedes driver from taking the skin line. On the identical time, he left lower than a automobile’s width on the best to stop Norris from diving into that hole. The Dutch driver stored the skin line clear, which was essential for the transfer that adopted.
Verstappen benefitted from the additional grip on the racing line, lifting and braking about 10 metres later than Piastri. The McLaren driver admitted he was too cautious and would have approached it in another way with hindsight. Verstappen entered the braking zone about 30 km/h sooner than Piastri and took that momentum into the nook.
It was sufficient to take the lead and handle the race with a surprisingly sturdy tempo. The state of affairs was utterly totally different from 4 years in the past – the beginning of this checklist – however might it nonetheless be an indication of a title battle that lasts all the way in which to the ultimate race in Abu Dhabi? Solely time will inform…
On this article
Ronald Vording
Method 1
Max Verstappen
Crimson Bull Racing
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