Max Verstappen narrowly wins at Emilia
Jun 18, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (NED) stands on the podium after his win at the Canadian Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
After struggling all weekend with pace, Max Verstappen was able to hold off Lando Norris on Sunday to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Italy for the third consecutive time.
Despite trailing by 5 seconds with 10 laps remaining, Norris was able to storm back, but was ultimately unsuccessful partly because he was unable to get under the 1-second threshold before the final DRS section on the final lap.
Finishing behind Norris was Charles Leclerc. The third-place finish helped Leclerc leapfrog Sergio Perez in the drivers championships standings. Perez struggled all weekend but was able to battle back from P11 to P8 and secure 4 points.
With the European portion of the F1 season just getting kicked off, the competition among Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren seems to be heating up, with Mercedes taking a backseat.
Despite Red Bull’s dominance in prior seasons, the team now looks vulnerable after finishing second in Miami and narrowly holding off Norris at Imola.
