RACE REPORT | F1 Emilia Romagna 2024

The 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was won by Max Verstappen despite charge from Lando Norris at the end of the race.

Max Verstappen, who won qualifying for the eighth time in a row, secured pole position for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The Dutchman thus equalled the record of the late Ayrton Senna.

Verstappen then made an excellent start in Imola and held on to the lead. There were no changes to the top six places. Cunoda lost seventh place and dropped to ninth, while Hamilton moved ahead of Russell.

Some drivers pitted after just a few laps, including Alex Albon. However, mechanics failed to get his lap right and he had to pit again, earning him a 10-second penalty for an unsafe launch. He later retired from the race.

Verstappen gradually increased his lead. Lando Norris was the first of the leading group to head to the pits on lap 23. He returned to the track just behind Pérez, who started on hard tyres and slowed the other drivers after his stop.

Verstappen pitted on lap 25, followed by the Ferrari drivers. Sainz dropped behind Piastri, who chased him throughout the first stint, due to his late stop. After the stops, that position was taken over by Leclerc, who was able to pull away from Piastri and began to catch Norris. Leclerc gradually lost pace and made a mistake in the chicane. However, the gap between Verstappen and Norris began to shrink radically.

Norris eventually closed to within one second of Verstappen, but there was no time to attack. The Red Bull driver was therefore the winner in Imola, with Norris and Leclerc completing the podium.