Verstappen holds off Norris to claim victory in Imola

Max Verstappen held off a dramatic Lando Norris fightback to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

- PHILIP DUNCAN

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’s 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’s speed.

With five laps remaining, Norris was just 1.5 seconds behind Verstappen, and as they entered the final lap the gap was less than a second. But despite Norris’s best efforts, the British driver, who broke his duck in Miami a fortnight ago, was forced to settle for runner-up.