Max Verstappen wins at Imola after nightmare day for Ferrari

The Red Bull’s were quicker off the line with Verstappen snatching the lead as the lights went out and Sergio Perez taking second place from Leclerc.

Daniel Ricciardo caught Carlos Sainz Jr just after the start ending a difficult weekend for the Spaniard after an excursion into the gravel, left him unable to restart his Ferrari.

The track remained damp in places throughout but it would have little impact on Verstappen who was unstoppable.

Perez battled with Leclerc, who took second back only to once again lose it back to the Red Bull man.

A late gamble to pit for softs from P3 from Leclerc saw the Red Bulls follow suit and comfortably retain the lead. On Lap 54 the championship leader spun and hit the wall at Variante Alta as he tried to get DRS on Perez and bounced his Ferrari over the curbs. Leclerc dropped down to ninth having had to pit for a new nose and softs, and recovered only to P6 at the flag.

Lando Norris on the podium

Lando Norris therefore took the final podium place, promoted twice with Sainz retiring and Leclerc going off track. Mercedes’ George Russell enjoyed a brilliant start and was up seven places to P4 as the chequered flag loomed, holding off Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas by under a second despite a late duel with the driver he replaced at the Silver Arrows.

Yuki Tsunoda finished seventh for AlphaTauri, passing Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel (P8) at the last while Leclerc battled past the pair in his late rescue effort.

Haas’s Kevin Magnussen ran as high as P5 thanks to another blistering start but fell back down the order to ninth. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll rounded out the top 10, a double-points haul for the team that entered Imola on zero.