Max Verstappen faced intense pressure in the final moments of the race, as Lando Norris tried to challenge the Dutch driver for the win.
After a challenging weekend, Max Verstappen emerged as the race winner. The current world champion faced various issues with the car setup before securing pole position. Additionally, Verstappen had to fend off Norris in the final stages of the race. Verstappen now revealed that he was close to colliding during the Grand Prix.
During his first pit stop on medium tires, the three-time world champion maintained a decent pace. However, he struggled with the hard tires after his only pit stop. In fact, Verstappen expressed uncertainty about whether his tires would last until the end of the race.
Verstappen noted that the hard tires quickly became ineffective after a few laps. He likened the experience to driving on ice in the second half of the race. Additionally, Verstappen revealed that he almost collided with the grandstands at Turn 7, highlighting the immense challenge he faced during the race.
From the start, Max Verstappen led the race in Imola. Initially, he opened up a comfortable gap between himself and the driver in second place. However, Verstappen lost significant time with the hard tires, allowing Norris to close in on the current world champion.
Verstappen admitted he was just trying to survive when he noticed Lando Norris increasing his pace. Eventually, Norris caught up to Verstappen in the final stages of the race. Verstappen confessed he wasn’t sure if he could maintain his lead until the checkered flag.
However, Max Verstappen emerged as the winner of the Emilia Romagna GP. The current world champion performed admirably under pressure and avoided making mistakes. However, this race serves as a warning to Red Bull regarding their competitiveness this season. Verstappen and the team in Milton Keynes must work diligently to ensure that their domination remains intact throughout the season.
