F1 Imola GP 2024 LIVE: Race results, standings and updates as Max Verstappen holds off Lando Norris
Verstappen wins from pole at the Emilia Romagna GP despite Norris’ late surge for the win
Max Verstappen held off a dramatic Lando Norris fightback to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Verstappen crossed the line just 0.725 seconds clear of Norris in Imola to take his fifth victory from the seven rounds so far.
Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, one place ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri with Carlos Sainz fifth. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished sixth and seventh respectively for Mercedes.
Verstappen looked to be on course to claim a comfortable win, but Norris’ superb charge in the closing stages left the Dutchman sweating inside his all-conquering Red Bull. After the sole round of pit-stops, Verstappen held a steady lead of around six seconds, but a turgid race suddenly came alive when Verstappen could offer little response to Norris’ speed.
Follow latest updates from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with The Independent
Alex Albon in trouble! (Lap 10/63)
Albon: “I’ve got a problem, the tyre is not on properly.”
He is going slowly for Williams! He’s just pitted, can he make it back around?
Carlos Sainz:
“McLaren is fast.”
A nervous Ferrari driver with Oscar Piastri right on his gearbox!
Max Verstappen opens up a two-second lead (Lap 7/63)
Verstappen lapping quicker than Norris right now, with a lead bang on two seconds.
Leclerc 1.4 secs off Norris, with Sainz a second further back.
Closest battle is Piastri in fifth, who is half-a-second off Sainz - but overtaking is tricky here with just one DRS zone!
Top-10: Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Sainz, Piastri, Russell, Hamilton, Hulkenberg, Tsunoda, Perez
Lando Norris has DRS behind Max Verstappen (Lap 3/63)
The McLaren just about keeping in DRS range, 0.8 secs off Verstappen.
But all the cars pretty smoothly through the opening laps so far!
Top-10: Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Sainz, Piastri, Russell, Hamilton, Hulkenberg, Tsunoda, Perez
Leclerc around a second off Norris, with Sainz just half-a-second off his team-mate!
Max Verstappen retains the lead at the start! (Lap 1/63)
It’s lights out - and Verstappen and Norris got away evenly, but the Red Bull keeps the lead heading into Tamburello!
Every car got a clean run - and Lewis Hamilton is up to seventh!
Yuki Tsunoda drops to P9, with Nico Hulkenberg up to eighth
Formation lap!
Max Verstappen leads the pack around for the formation lap!
Everybody on the medium tyre to start aside than Sergio Perez in 11th, who is on the hard tyre.
It’s set to be a one-stop race, hence the near-identity strategy amongst the drivers.
It’s time for race No 7!
Starting grid for F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
1. Max Verstappen
2. Lando Norris
3. Charles Leclerc
4. Carlos Sainz
5. Oscar Piastri*
6. George Russell
7. Yuki Tsunoda
8. Lewis Hamilton
9. Daniel Ricciardo
10. Nico Hulkenberg
11. Sergio Perez
12. Esteban Ocon
13. Lance Stroll
14. Alex Albon
15. Pierre Gasly
16. Valtteri Bottas
17. Kevin Magnussen
18. Zhou Guanyu
19. Logan Sargeant
Pit lane - Fernando Alonso**
*Piastri was handed a three-place grid drop for impeding Magnussen in qualifying
**Fernando Alonso will now start in the pit-lane after changing his car setup
F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix LIVE:
Here we go then!
It’s an Imola circuit baked in sunshine, with no rain on the radar!
Can Max Verstappen hold the lead at the start? We’re about to find out!
Max Verstappen:
“It’s a bit unknown on the long runs. We had a better balance in qualifying so naturally that will help, we don’t know.
“We’ll see now.”
Can the Red Bull hold off Lando Norris at the start?
Fernando Alonso:
“It’s more a learning session for us, it’ll be difficult to take some points. We need some conclusions.”
Alonso starts in the pit lane today...
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