The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix turned out to be a real nail-biter! Max Verstappen seemed to struggle throughout the entire race weekend, having to fight for his pole position on Saturday. He narrowly put his RB20 onto pole position thanks to a handy tow during his flying lap.
The McLarens looked rapid in Qualifying and it seemed like they would be strong contenders for the race win on Sunday.
On race day, Sebastian Vettel delivered an emotional tribute to Ayrton Senna in his MP4/4 around the historic Imola circuit, 30 years after the crash that killed Senna and Roland Ratzenberger.
In the race, Verstappen built out a decent gap in the race's lead. It seemed like he had it under full control, but it soon changed. In the final ten laps, Norris started pushing his tires and closed the gap fast. At one point, he was gaining 1.5 seconds on the race lead, charging ahead for a second consecutive victory.
It looked as if Norris would catch the Dutchman, but he was just two laps short! Verstappen won the race by just 0.752 seconds.
Charles Leclerc brought his Ferrari home in third place, to the delight of the Tifosi. Red flares were set off, and Ferrari flags were waved for the home team’s podium celebrations.
McLaren on the Rise
With their win in Miami and their near win in Imola, McLaren is the team to watch in the coming races. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have performed outstandingly, and they’re bound to be near the front again in the next couple of races.
They brought some big upgrades to the Miami and Imola races, and they seem to be on the right track. The McLarens are fast in Qualifying and race trim, which means that they have the ability to compete against the mighty RB20 now.
We’ve seen this McLaren resurgence before — remember 2021 and 2022? Unfortunately, in those seasons, the McLaren upgrades were too late, and they weren’t able to compete. However, this year, they’ve found traction early, and that’s great news for the title fight.
With a win and a podium under their belt in the last two races, they could be on to challenge the Red Bulls for more victories, and potentially fight them for the title towards the end of the season.
Where is Newey Going?
For the first time since announcing his departure from Red Bull, Adrian Newey has told the media that he plans on staying in Formula 1 for a few more years.
He didn’t give a clear indication as to where he is planning on going, but rumours have been swirling around the paddock recently. The most likely destination for him would be a Ferrari. The team is clearly building for next season in preparation for the major rule changes in 2026. Adding Newey to their roster of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton seems like a smart move.
However, there are also Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin. All of these teams are interested in getting Newey onboard, but they don’t have the same draw that Ferrari does. They can’t offer a bigger paycheck and the potential of working with Lewis Hamilton.
Newey has stated in the past that he has always dreamed of working with Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, and Fernando Alonso. With a move to the Scuderia, Newey could tick off two items on his bucket list.
The Streets of Monaco Are Next
It’s time for the Monaco Grand Prix. The tight and twisty street circuit is always a highlight of the season. It might not be great for racing, but the glitz and glamour always get people tuning into the race. There’s also the potential for huge upsets and drama, as one small mistake could put you into the barriers and end your race.
Is this a circuit where McLaren can get the upper hand over Red Bull? We’ll find out on Sunday!
