Last Updated on May 19 2025, 2:38 pm
Piastri frustrated by early mistake as Verstappen stuns with Imola comeback win – Oscar Piastri’s weekend at Imola was one of promise, precision and, ultimately, regret. After a strong qualifying session and a front row start for McLaren, the Australian found himself at the centre of the decisive moment of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. It was a moment that showcased Max Verstappen’s audacity and speed, and it left Piastri visibly annoyed with himself: “I just braked too early. If I could do it again, I would brake later,”
That single admission summed up the fine line that separated glory from disappointment on Sunday. While McLaren had entered the race with quiet confidence and every reason to believe their sustained pace would be decisive, it was Verstappen and Red Bull who stole the show. From a shaky Friday to a dominant Sunday, the reigning world champion delivered a masterclass in adaptability and raw speed that reaffirmed his championship credentials and reshaped the narrative of 2025.
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Dismal start for Red Bull turns into dramatic turnaround
Verstappen’s weekend didn’t begin with the typical swagger that fans have come to associate with the Dutchman. Red Bull were off the pace in Friday’s practice session, with Verstappen himself sounding unimpressed and even resigned.
“I had a bad start,” he admitted. “I was third and the car didn’t feel good. Then I just thought: brake later than everyone else…”
What followed was a breathtaking move that changed the entire complexion of the race.
As the lights went out, Verstappen lost ground to George Russell and found himself in third place. But as he entered the Tamburello chicane, he unleashed an attack that was bold, calculated and ruthless. Picking up speed and braking agonisingly late on the line, he swept past both Russell and Piastri in one decisive lunge.
“When I let go of the brake, I knew the move was on,” Verstappen said later.
Piastri, the victim of the move, could only reflect on what might have been.
“I thought I had the inside covered, but Max saw it differently. It’s frustrating because I thought I had a chance to fight back later.”
Red Bull finds unexpected strength on race day
The real surprise of the afternoon wasn’t just Verstappen’s aggressive start, but the consistency and strength of Red Bull’s race pace, particularly on the medium tyres. McLaren, who had built their strategy on superior long run performance, were stunned as Verstappen began to pull away.
Even a mid-race safety car, which brought the field back together, did nothing to stop the Red Bull driver. After switching to the harder compound, Verstappen controlled the pace from the front, resisting any pressure from behind and pacing the field with calculated precision.
It was a stark contrast to his race in Miami, where he had complained about his car’s inability to compete over a full stint.
“In Miami I couldn’t do anything after my good start. Today I just ran away,” he said.
McLaren tried to turn the tide with strategy, bringing Piastri in for an early pit stop in an attempt to undercut Verstappen. But it was to no avail. The RB21 remained consistently fast and Verstappen’s lead remained intact.
Setup puzzle finally solved?
One of the more interesting stories to emerge from Imola is Red Bull’s apparent breakthrough in understanding their car. Verstappen hinted that the RB21 felt dialled in for the first time in 2025. The change didn’t come easily – Red Bull once again misjudged their simulator set-up on Friday – but the traditional three practice sessions at Imola gave the team time to correct their approach.
Technical director Pierre Wach acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Red Bull’s recent updates, but admitted that something had clicked.
“The car is finally doing what Max wants it to do,” he said.
That could spell trouble for Red Bull’s rivals. At high-speed circuits such as Suzuka, Jeddah and now Imola, the RB21 has looked increasingly at home. Monaco, with its slower corners and tighter confines, will be a very different test, but Red Bull’s upward trajectory is undeniable.
McLaren’s strategy gamble falls short
Despite running both cars close to the front, McLaren left Imola with more questions than answers. Lando Norris, fresh from his sensational win in Miami, found himself trapped behind his team-mate early on. Piastri, who started second, was expected to be the team’s best chance of victory, but Verstappen’s early pass changed the game.
Norris, who clearly felt Verstappen slipping away up the road, pleaded with his team on the radio.
“I’m not asking for the position, but if we’re going to have a chance, we can’t get in each other’s way,” he said. Eventually the decision was made to let Norris through, but by then it was too late. The time lost behind Piastri had already allowed Verstappen to extend his lead to an unassailable level.
Both Andrea Stella and Zak Brown admitted after the race that their strategy had not worked. Red Bull’s pace, they said, was simply too strong to match.
“We thought we could push them with the undercut or tyre management,” said Stella. “But Max had everything under control.”
Brown, always outspoken, praised Verstappen’s bold move at Tamburello, but warned that it should be taken as a wake-up call.
“That overtake was pure class,” he said. “But it’s also a reminder that Red Bull are still Red Bull. They’ve improved and we can’t afford to fall asleep at the wheel.”
Championship momentum swinging again
Piastri remains the championship leader for now, but Verstappen’s Imola victory has closed the gap and sent a clear message that the title battle is far from over. More importantly, the victory came not from qualifying dominance or a pole-to-flag cruise, but from a race-day turnaround that spoke volumes about Red Bull’s depth of experience and Verstappen’s razor-sharp instincts.
Verstappen was careful not to exaggerate the significance of the win.
“This is the time to stay calm and not rush things,” he said. But the tone of his comments suggested a deeper confidence – one rooted in a sense that, after a bumpy start to 2025, Red Bull may finally be hitting its stride.
For McLaren, Imola could be both a warning and a motivation. They still have the car to win, and in Piastri and Norris they have arguably the strongest driver pairing on the grid. But at Imola, it was Red Bull who drove the better race and Verstappen who reminded everyone why he remains a four-time world champion.
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A season on a knife’s edge
Imola didn’t just shake up the standings – it reminded everyone watching that, at its best, Formula One is a sport defined by moments. One move, one decision, one mistake in braking can determine the outcome of an entire weekend. Piastri learned that lesson the hard way. Verstappen, ever the opportunist, seized the moment and never looked back.
The battle between McLaren and Red Bull is heating up. As the circus heads to Monaco, the tight street circuit will provide a different kind of challenge. But after Imola, one thing is certain: the championship is still wide open and Verstappen is very much back in the hunt.
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Esteban Ocon’s relationship with Alpine had already frayed by the end of the 2024 Formula One season. But any lingering resentment between the two parties has been reignited following the team’s handling of Ocon’s replacement, Jack Doohan, in the early stages of the 2025 campaign. Speaking to French broadcaster Canal+, the former Alpine driver was unsparing in his criticism of the team’s abrupt decision to drop Doohan after just five Grand Prix weekends.
The Frenchman questioned not only the fairness of the decision, but also its potential long-term consequences for the young Australian’s career.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
