Perfect Verstappen spoils Ferrari’s day
WORLD champion Max Verstappen rekindled his title defence yesterday with an accomplished victory ahead of teammate Sergio Perez in a dominant one-two triumph for Red Bull at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
In a rain-affected race, the pole-sitting 24-year-old Dutchman came home more than 16 seconds ahead of his teammate as Charles Leclerc and Ferrari endured a disappointing day in front of passionate home support at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
Leclerc, who started second on the grid, finished sixth after making a poor start and spinning in the closing laps while running third, allowing Lando Norris to take the final podium place for McLaren.
George Russell produced a stirring drive for Mercedes to come home fourth after starting 11th, fending off Valtteri Bottas's Alfa Romeo at the finish, while teammate and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton finished a distant 14th.
It was Verstappen's second win this season after Saudi Arabia, which has also included two retirements, and the 22nd of his career.
He reeled off a grand slam weekend with pole position, victory and fastest lap as well as victory in Saturday's sprint race.
He moved up to second in the title race behind Leclerc, reducing his deficit
from 45 points to 27 to set up the prospect of an intense duel this year.
AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda finished seventh ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel in an Aston Martin, Kevin Magnussen of Haas and Lance Stroll in the other Aston Martin.
A morning downpour eased shortly before the race, leaving the track in a
treacherously wet condition and the teams faced with a difficult choice on tyres and strategy.
For the packed crowds of ‘tifosi' huddled on open grandstands and grassy banks, it was a disappointing day.
Verstappen surged into the lead from pole position.
Leclerc, starting second, was passed by the Dutchman, Perez and Norris before Daniel Ricciardo in a McLaren tangled with Carlos Sainz at the first chicane.
It was a second consecutive early exit for Sainz after his misery in Melbourne.
The Spaniard was left beached in a gravel trap, prompting a first Safety Car intervention to recover the Ferrari while Ricciardo survived their impact to pit for fresh tyres.
After a fine start, Russell had risen from 11th to sixth behind Magnussen's Haas, while Hamilton made more cautious progress in 11th, having started 14th.
After several attempts, Russell passed the Dane at the Variente Alta.
On lap eight, Leclerc passed Norris for third at Tamburello, but faced a six seconds deficit to Perez as, in the pits, Fernando Alonso retired his Alpine, damaged in an early collision with Mick Schumacher's Haas.
By half-distance, Verstappen was cruising with a 10-second cushion ahead of Perez and Leclerc, frustrated in third.
On lap 41 came Hamilton's most humbling moment when he was lapped by Verstappen as he battled for 13th. Leclerc pitted on lap 50 for softs, dropping to fourth behind Norris. Perez followed on 51, as Leclerc passed the McLaren and Verstappen one lap later, retaining a 13-second lead.
The Monegasque charged hard to pass Perez on lap 53, but spun off at Variante Alfa, damaging a front wing.
He pitted, re-joining eighth as Norris inherited third and Russell took fourth, resisting Bottas in the final laps.