IMOLA, ITALY – MAY 19: Max Verstappen, from the Netherlands, driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20, leads Lando Norris, from Great Britain, driving the (4) McLaren MCL38 Mercedes during the Emilia-Romagna Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari Circuit on May 19, 2024 in Imola, Italy. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
Verstappen emerged victorious in the Imola race on Sunday, but it wasn’t the dominant display we are used to seeing from Red Bull and the Dutch driver. They faced strong competition from McLaren, with Lando Norris in particular very close to them.
The Formula 1 Champion led from the start and built a comfortable advantage over Norris in the first part of the race. However, when Verstappen switched to hard tires in the second half, the McLaren driver started to close the gap.
The final laps of the Emilia Romagna GP were tense, as Norris relentlessly chased Verstappen. The Red Bull driver managed to maintain his lead and crossed the finish line just 0.725s ahead of his rival.
Verstappen’s achievement was even more impressive considering he received warnings from the stewards for exceeding track limits. Any additional infractions would result in a five-second penalty, a distraction he couldn’t afford to have while defending against a determined driver like Norris in a competitive McLaren.
In an interview with Sky Sports F1, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner acknowledged the immense pressure faced by Verstappen. He praised his star driver for delivering under such circumstances.
Horner also highlighted the contrasting performance of Red Bull throughout the race. The team had a strong first half, building a 7.5-second advantage, but struggled in the second half as Norris was quickly closing in on them.
When asked about Verstappen’s difficulties in the latter part of the race, Horner admitted that they may have focused too much on the medium tires. As a result, they lost temperature in the hard tires, while McLaren seemed to have optimized their strategy, reaping the benefits in the final part of the race.
For the second consecutive race, Red Bull faced challenges. The recent improvements of McLaren in Miami, which propelled Norris to victory, and Ferrari’s own improvements brought the teams closer together.
Horner pointed out that as the season progresses and teams introduce improvements, the cars are becoming more similar. This convergence is expected when the rules remain stable. In Imola, both McLaren and Ferrari showed impressive speed, posing a formidable challenge to Red Bull.
While Verstappen fought for success, his teammate Sergio Perez was struggling to progress further down the grid after starting from 11th position. However, he could only finish eighth at the end of the race.
Horner reflected on Perez’s performance, stating that it was unfortunate for him to be out of sync after qualifying. They had implemented a different strategy for him, and eighth place was the best they could hope for based on their analysis before the race.
Horner emphasized the importance of having Perez up there supporting Max, just as the two Ferrari cars and the two McLaren cars work together.
Perez is under pressure to keep his place at Red Bull in 2025, and performances like the one in Imola will not help his chances. However, Horner acknowledges that Perez has been better in 2024 compared to 2023.
“He [Perez] had a much stronger start to the year, except for this weekend, which was an exception. He has been very impressive. He seems to be more relaxed and less focused on what Max is doing, instead focusing on himself. He responded well to that,” Horner concluded.
Red Bull currently holds the first position in the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship, with Ferrari in second place and McLaren in third.
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