Then he jumped out of the racing car, tore his arms up and roared his joy into the sky across Imola. Max Verstappen left the more estimated McLaren faction behind at the Grand Prix of the Emilia-Romagna, distant Lando Norris (second) and Oscar Piatri on the way to the second win of the season on a surprisingly confident tour. In the driver’s ranking, the Dutch shortened the lead from Piatri (146 points) to 22. However, the four -time world champion remains third (124) behind Norris (133). “We have had massive improvements since Friday, I am very happy,” said Verstappen after his 65th Formula 1 victory, “that we had such a good pace. The car is now running really strong.” This does not apply to the clean. Nico Hülkenberg became twelfth. A tiger for the McLaren of Piatri on the starting line -up. Mark Webber, the former teammate of Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull, a Grand winner, fast world champion. Webber is the manager of his compatriot. With the soles of his sneakers, he checked the liability of the asphalt in front of Piatris McLaren three or four times. Webber knows what it means to get away quickly, in the small race from Sunday to Sunday, and in the big for the title. In spring, the preparatory work will be done for the triumph in winter, after a maximum of 24 races. Liability was not on Sunday. And certainly not on the nerve costume of his client. Piatri shot from the pole position ice cold on the first meters. You don’t know exactly whether his vest cools it with cold liquid or vice versa, the 24-year-old appears in Formula 1. On Saturday, for example during qualifying, when he had to overtake several cars in the last curve on the way to the best time. But what surprise the next day. As Verstappen, the late braking, coming from behind at the first harassment, pulling out and the lead. Classically surprised. Age beats youth, experience the nice feeling. Did Piatri surprise the maneuver? “Yes. That was very good. I slowed down too early. But we also made some mistakes afterwards.” “Undercut” by McLaren does not work. Verstappens tires kept in the first stint until the first pit stop. While his pursuers rested to the box early to change the tire, the Dutch stayed on course until the middle of the race. And with good lap times. The so -called “Undercut”, the McLaren in the sense, did not work with Piatri. On fresh tires, the Australian should circle faster in the Emilia Romagna. But after his change he appeared behind Yuki Tsunoda in midfield. Happiness for Red Bull. Because the Japanese, on Saturday with self -overestimation in the cold deformation of his entire racing car, decisively participated. As a frenzied blockade, he did a bit of resistance. The larger came indirectly from Verstappen. Because the champion at the top initially came over faster, enlarged its lead to 32.2 seconds. Large enough to stay in front of the tire service. This is a jump in Imola, even with sunshine and a 40 degrees Celsius called asphalt, was evident when comparing Lando Norris. The Englishman, “only” fourth in the starting place race, at least reasonably disappointed, drove the same strategy as Verstappen: a stop. And as the second in the meantime not faster in the continuous run. So far, this was the strength of the McLaren. In the heat to cool the tires better, to be able to keep them in the temperature window, whatever the English do it. Is that happiness with the capable? When the time matured to miss fresh pneus, Esteban Ocon put his Haas off the grass next to the route. The race management sent the “virtual safetycar” on the journey. Some smiled in the box of Red Bull. Mercedes causes a gift. Because in this phase of deceleration a pit stop with speed limit in the alley massively reduces the loss of time. When Verstappen returns to the slopes in the 30th of 63 rounds, he revolves twenty instead of ten seconds ahead of Norris and 33 in front of Piatri. End of racing history at the last Grand Prix in Imola 72 years after the premiere? Mercedes gave the race new tension in the 46th round. Because Kimi Antonelli’s gas pedal could no longer be controlled. The packed Safetycar caught the pack, some like Verstappen after the hurry -inserted next chord service on the box. The compression of everyone, the leading lost 18 seconds ahead, raised hopes for the “flying” restart after recovery of the Mercedes: can Piatri, through the second chord service for Norris, to second place, still intercept on “old” tires? Ferraris Leclerc is good enough for the attack on Norris? Vollgas in the 54th: The world champion cannot be surprised. With the fastest round, it escaped the striking distance. But behind it is about every inch. Why Norris is not waving past the teammate on fresh pneus remains as open as the question of whether the tactical plan with Piatri from McLaren was so happy throughout the races. Norris drives much faster. The first McLaren stops him, the deficit grows in no time at all. More on the subject of other ads are more lucky. Lewis Hamilton pushes past George Russell (Mercedes) in sixth place. The fact that Alexander Albon but Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari attacks fourth place does not seem to be the fame of the Scuderia. Because the Williams, promoted of the year, comes from the depth of the paddock. Leclerc defends himself with all the tricks. Albon has to dodge, partly into the gravel. “Unfair,” he calls into the microphone. The maneuver creates so much space for Hamilton that the record world champion slips through to four. Albon’s anger stays when Leclerc withdraws and leaves fifth place more or less voluntarily. Earned.
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