#kimi7

VERSTAPPEN WINS EXCITING EMILIA-ROMANGA GRAND PRIX

Max Verstappen sailed through all the carnage at Imola to take his 11th career victory on a day that saw Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes fall apart.

Hamilton found himself a lap down as a red flag was deployed for an accident involving Valtteri Bottas and George Russell but charged back through to finish second, ahead of Lando Norris who impressed to finish third.

The drama started before the race as two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso slipped off the track at Tosa and damaged his front wing, before both Aston Martin cars’ rear brakes caught fire, resulting in Sebastian Vettel being forced to start from the pit lane, AND Charles Leclerc spinning off at Acqua Minerale on the formation lap – however he was still able to take the start from his original grid slot.

Once the race finally got underway Verstappen charged into the lead at Tamburello on the first lap, despite having started third on the grid, as Hamilton failed to close the door and ended up damaging his wing bouncing over the kerbs.

It was then other Ferrari of Carlos Sainz who then spun off at Acqua Minerale, along with the Williams of Nicholas Latifi, who then rejoined the track and squeezed Nikita Mazepin towards the grass, the pair made contact sending the former off into the wall and out of the race.

The Safety Car came out but the drama wasn’t finished there, with F2 champion Mick Schumacher spinning into the wall on the start/finish straight, ripping off his front wing on lap four, and then having to trundle round without a front wing as the pit lane was closed due to his own debris blocking the exit.

Sergio Perez then ran off at Piratella and lost positions, he tried to retake them under the safety car, which landed him a ten second stop/go penalty.

Racing resumed on lap seven, and Pierre Gasly, one of just four drivers to start on the wet tyres, started to go backwards, losing out to Norris, Sainz, Stroll, Bottas, Raikkonen, Russell, Giovinazzi, and Tsunoda before the Frenchman eventually was called in to pit for inters on lap 15.

Carlos Sainz did some rallying, just like his father, going off the road numerous times after his previous spin, including at Rivazza and Tosa – not ideal at one of Ferrari’s home races.

The time for dry tyres arrived on lap 27, Verstappen blinked first whilst Hamilton put the hammer down, however a slow stop brought the Brit out five seconds behind the Dutchman on lap 29.

However, Hamilton continued to close back in on Verstappen as the pair made their way through traffic, that was until the reigning World Champion slipped off the road at the Tosa hairpin on lap 31, through the gravel and into the wall, losing an entire lap to his rival as he managed to reverse back on to the race track.

Mercedes afternoon then got even worse as Valtteri Bottas and George Russell had a huge accident at Tamburello, as the Williams spun into the side of the Mercedes and the pair flew off into the gravel and the barriers, bringing out the Safety Car and then the red flag, both thinking the other was at fault for the incident.

Raikkonen and then leader Verstappen spun on the safety car lap for the restart, however the Red Bull driver was able to hold on to the lead of the race and nailed the restart as Charles Leclerc lost second to a charging Lando Norris, whilst further behind Yuki Tsunoda’s hard work climbing back through the field came to nothing, as he spun off at Tamburello.

Then it was Hamilton’s turn to charge through the field from eighth, first helped by Perez spinning off at the Villenueve chicane to lift him to seventh before passing Stroll for sixth at Tamburello.

And it was that corner that proved to be Hamilton’s hunting ground, also passing Ricciardo, Leclerc and Norris there to climb back up to P2 at the chequered flag, albeit 22 seconds behind winner Verstappen.

The closing stages of the race ended with Nikita Mazepin completing his traditional session spin at Acqua Minerale and Sebastian Vettel being forced into retirement with a gearbox issue.

RACE RESULT

VERSTAPPEN HAMILTON - FL NORRIS

LECLERC SAINZ RICCIARDO STROLL GASLY RAIKKONEN - Under Investigation OCON

ALONSO PEREZ TSUNODA GIOVINAZZI VETTEL SCHUMACHER MAZEPIN

First time this year!!