F1 Imola GP 2024 LIVE: Race results, standings and updates as Max Verstappen holds off Lando Norris
Verstappen wins from pole at the Emilia Romagna GP despite Norris’ late surge for the win
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Max Verstappen held off a dramatic Lando Norris fightback to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
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’ 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’ speed.
Follow latest updates from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with The Independent
Oscar Piastri sets the fastest lap (Lap 32/63)
Speedy from the Aussie on his set of hard tyres!
He’s in fourth, less than a second behind Charles Leclerc in third.
Out in front, Max Verstappen’s lead to Lando Norris is 6.5 seconds.
Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton pits (Lap 27/63)
Sainz comes in for Ferrari, 2.7 second stop, and is back in sixth place.
Hamilton, meanwhile, drops from second to ninth after his pit stop.
Max Verstappen retakes the lead!
Top-10: Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Piastri, Perez (not pitted), Sainz, Russell, Stroll (not pitted), Hamilton, Magnussen (not pitted)
Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc pit (Lap 26/63)
Both pit stops under three seconds and Verstappen gets out ahead of Norris, by a safe margin.
Leclerc pits a lap later and is behind Sergio Perez in sixth.
So Carlos Sainz now leads this race, with Lewis Hamilton in second ahead of Verstappen - but the front two have not pitted!
Lando Norris passes Sergio Perez! (Lap 24/63)
Norris gets the move done down the main straight with ease, he’s up to fifth.
Meanwhile, Verstappen has been given the black-and-white flag for track limits! That’s his last chance - if he crosses the white line again, it’ll be a five-second penalty.
Lando Norris pits (Lap 23/63)
2.4 seconds is a solid stop for Norris, who pits from second and he comes out just behind Sergio Perez in seventh!
Not ideal for the McLaren!
Will Ferrari or Verstappen respond?
Max Verstappen with a healthy lead (Lap 22/63)
“My front left tyre is not good,” says Verstappen to his engineer. Still, 6.6 seconds in front of Lando Norris.
George Russell complaining of tyre issues as well - and he pits from sixth! 2.4 seconds, and he comes out in 10th.
Charles Leclerc’s strategy decided (Lap 18/63)
“We are going plan B,” says Leclerc’s engineer.
Meanwhile, Sergio Perez goes off track into the gravel, losing around five seconds, but he gets his Red Bull back on track!
Max Verstappen extends his lead (Lap 16/63)
Verstappen’s lead is getting bigger - it’s now 4.8 seconds, so enough for a pit stop not to matter!
The Red Bull is quick... who’d have thought it?!
Leclerc is 1.2 secs behind Norris, while Piastri has fallen back slightly from Sainz.
Are McLaren losing a bit of pace? Perhaps.
Top-10: Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Sainz, Piastri, Russell, Hamilton, Perez, Stroll, Ocon
Yuki Tsunoda pits (Lap 13/63)
Tsunoda the first of the frontrunners to pit - 2.3 secs - and he drops from ninth to 15th, in open air.
What is the pace of the hard tyre then?
Meanwhile, Alonso’s brakes were on fire after his pit stop, but more pace put the flames out! Bit mad!
Albon makes it back (lap 12/63)
Albon avoids cars speeding past him and makes it back to the pits, and switches back to medium tyres.
But he’s already a lap down! Nightmare for Williams!
Anyhow, at the front, Verstappen’s lead is now 3.1 seconds.
Oscar Piastri is very close to Carlos Sainz now, just 0.3 secs off, but can’t squeeze through after the home straight!
Top-10: Verstappen, Norris, Leclerc, Sainz, Piastri, Russell, Hamilton, Hulkenberg, Tsunoda, Perez
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