Piastri ‘caught sleeping' by Verstappen stunner, ‘weak' McLaren slammed
Oscar Piastri's lead in the Formula One championship has been shaved to 13 points after Max Verstappen produced one of the best overtakes of his career to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Piastri started on pole position and got a decent start off the line, only to fall victim to a spectacular piece of late braking by Verstappen, who snatched the lead with a sweeping lunge on the first lap.
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From then on it was always going to be difficult for Piastri to take the win. He quickly pitted to change from medium to hard tyres and worked his way through the field in heavy traffic — the early pit stop was arguably the wrong strategy call.
But two Safety Car periods played perfectly into Verstappen's hands, allowing the world champion to get two free pit stops and maintain first position.
A Safety Car late in the race set the stage for a frenetic finish, with a very slow Lando Norris pit stop allowing Piastri to move into second place for the closing stages of the race.
Max Verstappen overtakes Oscar Piastri on the first lap. Photo: Fox Sports.
But Piastri opted not to pit again and his hard tyres were 20 laps older than Norris' tyres, and the Brit overtook his teammate as the McLarens raced wheel to wheel for the first time this season.
Verstappen described his move on Piastri as 'sending it around the outside', adding it 'unleashed our pace' once the Red Bull was in clear air in the lead.
Sky Sports expert commentator Anthony Davidson wondered whether Piastri could have been more aggressive at the start to shut the door on Verstappen.
'I think he'll be kicking himself a bit for Turn 1 and Turn 2 through into Tamburello,' Davidson said.
'When he looks back at that, I'm sure he'll be thinking he could have braked later, could have got my elbows out a little bit more.
'You have to be on your absolute A-game when you've got Verstappen bearing down on you in the first couple of corners. You know he's going to go for it.'
Former F1 world Jacques Villeneuve said: 'It was a copy of Jeddah except he (Piastri) didn't close the door, he left enough space because he was caught sleeping.'
In somewhat awkward scenes post-race, Piastri was made to re-watch Verstappen's overtake on him on a TV in the cooldown room.
Oscar Piastri re-watches Verstappen's overtake on him in the cooldown room. Photo: Fox Sports.
Lando Norris, race winner Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri on the podium in Imola. (Photo by)
Piastri had been aiming to join Ayrton Senna as the only McLaren drivers to win four races to be, but it wasn't to be for the 24-year-old.
He still leads the championship on 146 points, 13 clear of Norris and 22 ahead of Verstappen.
'I just braked too early,' Piastri said.
'It was a good move by Max. Disappointing obviously but I think we made a few wrong calls after that anyway. Not our best Sunday.
'Well done to Max and Red Bull. It was a good move but also they had pace today.
'I tried my best to hang onto second but just had nowhere near enough grip. So third it is.
Asked about racing Norris, Piastri said: 'It was probably inevitably that he was going to get past, but I wasn't going to give up without a fight.'
Norris said: 'Max drove a good race today. We had a good little battle at the end between Oscar and myself, which is always tense, but always good fun.
'For us as a team, second and third is great. Of course you'd love to be up there fighting against Max, but they were too good for us today.'
It's Verstappen's 65th career win and he equals Michael Schumacher with the most podiums with the same team (116).
Max Verstappen could do no wrong as he won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
World champion slams 'weak' McLaren
Villenueve criticised McLaren for not ordering Piastri to let Norris past after the Virtual Safety Car car so the Brit could attempt to catch Verstappen in the final 10 laps.
'They (McLaren) show weakness basically,' the 1997 world champion said on Sky Sports.
'They don't show the strength Red Bull are showing year after year. It's as if they're afraid to be aggressive to try and win the drivers' championship and they're afraid to go against Piastri, it's really odd.
'Piastri messed up that first corner. He got caught out sleeping. He should never have come out of that corner second.
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.(AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Jacque Villeneuve labelled McLaren's strategy weak. Photo:/AFP.
'On the restart, McLaren knew it was a matter of laps before Norris would overtake Piastri with the tyre difference. So why make him lose three laps instead of giving him a shot at Verstappen?
'Verstappen is in the championship (battle), you don't want to give him wins. That's more points for him.
'They (McLaren) seem to be happy with second and third. McLaren has a car where a good weekend is first and second. Anything less is barely acceptable, but they seem to be happy with second and third.'
Villenueve said McLaren's strategy decisions shows 'a lack of 'let's go for it''.
F1's European triple header continues next weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix results (top 10)
1) Max Verstappen
2) Lando Norris
3) Oscar Piastri
4) Lewis Hamilton
5) Alex Albon
6) Charles Leclerc
7) George Russell
8) Carlos Sainz
9) Isack Hadjar
10) Yuki Tsunoda
Originally published as Piastri 'caught sleeping' by Verstappen stunner, 'weak' McLaren slammed
Verstappen steals lead from Piastri on lap 1
Matthew Sullivan
Wow! Max Verstappen has taken the lead of the race with a stunning pass on Piastri on the first chicane of the race.
Piastri got a decent start off the line before Verstappen came up alongside him and broke later than the Aussie, edging past him in a sensational sweeping overtake.
'That's exactly what Oscar Piastri didn't want to happen,' Sky Sports commentator Harry Benjamin said, describing the move as 'inch perfect'. 'Piastri just not aggressive enough there. That is surely one of the all-time Turn 1 moves.' Max Verstappen overtakes Oscar Piastri at the start of the race. Photo: Fox Sports.
Expert commentator Anthony Davidson said: 'It was an amazing late braking effort from Max Verstappen. Piastri gave him room, there easily could have been contact.
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Verstappen wins Imola GP
Matthew Sullivan
Max Verstappen has won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix by six seconds from Lando Norris, who was a further six seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri.
The Dutchman produced arguably the most impressive overtake of his career on the opening lap to get past Piastri, which proved the decisive moment of the day. Max Verstappen salutes with victory at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. (Photo by)
Verstappen drove a flawless race and benefited from the timing of a Virtual Safety Car and Safety Car that allowed him not to lose any time on his two pit stops.
It's the second victory of the year for Verstappen, and his fourth consecutive win in IMola.
Lap 58/63: Norris gets past Piastri
Matthew Sullivan
It took a few laps after the race resumed but Lando Norris has made the most of his fresher hard tyres to overtake Oscar Piastri and take second place.
Norris got close on a straight and used DRS to overtake Piastri, with the two McLarens going wheel to wheel for the first time this season in a moment that would have had the team pit wall nervous.
LAP 58/63
The McLarens go wheel to wheel at Turn 2! 😵
Norris snatches second place off Piastri ðŸ'#F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/67Sg0rLSes â€' Formula 1 (@F1) May 18, 2025
Safety Car triggers chaotic finish
Matthew Sullivan
Mercedes rookie encountered an issue with his car and his car ground to a halt on the grass, triggering a full Safety Car.
Max Verstappen came into the pits for another free stop, but Lando Norris had a very slow stop.
Piastri didn't pit, and Norris' slow stop allowed Piastri to come out ahead of his teammate in second when it looked like the Aussie was certain to finish behind Norris.
Grab the popcorn! There's 15 laps to go and the cars are bunched up again.
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Lap 31/63: McLarens chasing Max for race win
Matthew Sullivan
Oscar Piastri is working his way through the field, passing Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda to get into the top 10 before passing Lewis Hamilton to move into sixth.
Max Verstappen is in the box seat to win the race with a one-stop strategy. Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar was holding up a train in fourth, which should allow Verstappen to come out of his pit stop in clean air.
Piastri eventually passed Hadjar, now it remains to be seen if the Aussie can do the whole race with one pit stop. Everything was coming up Max Verstappen in Imola. (Photo by)
'He's keeping his race alive, but heaven knows what he's doing to those tyres,' Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz said. 'The crucial thing is what state Oscar's tyres will be in at the end.'
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Piastri goes to the pits
Matthew Sullivan
It's looking like a two pit stop strategy is the way to go in this 63-lap race.
The medium tyre isn't looking particulary quick , with Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri coming in to pit for hard tyres.
It was a slow 3.6 second pit stop for Piastri, which won't help his cause. He comes out in 11th and will hope his new tyres work some magic and he can undercut Verstappen.
Aussie's dad takes fresh swipe at team
Matthew Sullivan
Mick Doohan clearly isn't happy about Alpine's decision to axe his son Jack after just six races, with Franco Colapinto replacing Doohan in Imola.
Mick made a pointed post on social media after the sacking, and he elaborated on his thoughts speaking to DAZN.
'It's a little bit disappointing the way that things have turned out,' the motorcycle legend said. Jack Doohan of Australia and Alpine F1 Team walks in the paddock with his father, Mick Doohan. (Photo by)
'I think Jack performed quite well on paper. Even in qualifyings and free practices and so on, he was quite good.
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Piastri out to make McLaren history
Matthew Sullivan
If he wins today, Oscar Piastri join F1 icon Ayrton Senna as just the second McLaren driver to win four races in a row.
Senna, a three-time world champion, tragically died in a horror crash at Imola 31 years ago.
Red Bull driver to start from pits
Matthew Sullivan
Yuki Tsunoda will start from pit lane after the Red Bull driver's shocking crash in qualifying where his car flipped over into the fence.
Grid for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
1st row Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren) Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull)
2nd row George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren)
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