Another poor qualifying leads to recovery display

MAX Verstappen’s brilliant opening-corner move on Oscar Piastri fired him to victory at the Formula One Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

- REPORT BY SCOTT HUNT - PA

The Dutchman clinched a fourth successive win at Imola in Red Bull's 400th race to end championship leader Piastri’s three-race winning run after taking the lead at the first chicane.

Verstappen was in control of the race but had to see off a late challenge, after a safety car slashed his lead, to clinch his second win of the season. McLaren opted not to order Piastri to allow teammate Lando Norris past in a bid to challenge Verstappen but the Glastonbury driver ultimately made a brave move with five laps to go to finish second.

Piastri’s lead to Norris in the Drivers Championship was cut to 13 points, with Verstappen now 22 points behind the Australian. Ferrari recovered from a dismal qualifying - starting 11th and 12th - with Lewis Hamilton fourth in his first home race for the Scuderia and Charles Leclerc sixth.

Norris, who again bemoaned his qualifying performance which left him fourth on the grid, could make little in the way of inroads in the early stages but began to threaten Russell on lap nine.