Verstappen storms to victory at Imola ahead of McLaren duo

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took a dominant victory in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix founded on an audacious overtaking move on the first lap. The four-time champion passed pole-sitter Oscar Piastri’s McLaren around the outside of the first chicane after the start and controlled the race from there. A late safety car closed the field up and put the McLarens of Piastri and Lando Norris on Verstappen’s tail. But a consummate restart from Verstappen allowed him to break free while Norris fought for three laps before finally passing his teammate to take second.

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Piastri pips Verstappen to pole at Imola Quali

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to pole position at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in a qualifying session that featured an enormous accident for Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda. Piastri edged Verstappen by 0.034 seconds despite encountering traffic in the final two corners and failing to improve his time in the final sector. Both Verstappen and McLaren’s Lando Norris fell short on their final laps, and the Briton was demoted to fourth by Mercedes’ George Russell.

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Alpine confirm Colapinto to replace Doohan for next five races

Argentine Franco Colapinto will drive for Alpine for the next five grands prix, replacing Jack Doohan. The team said in a statement that Colapinto, whom Alpine signed from Williams over the winter, would drive alongside Pierre Gasly from the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola on 16-18 May. There will then be a “new evaluation before the British Grand Prix”, which is on 4-6 July.

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Oliver Oakes resigns as Alpine Team Principal

Alpine has announced the immediate resignation of its team principal, Oliver Oakes. He had been in the role for little more than nine months, having taken over from his predecessor Bruno Famin at the end of last year. The team’s executive advisor Flavio Briatore will cover the duties performed by Oakes in addition to his existing role.

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Piastri leads home dominant McLaren 1-2 in Miami

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri won for the fourth time in six races this year as he beat team-mate Lando Norris in an action-packed Miami Grand Prix. Both McLaren drivers fought intense battles with early leader Max Verstappen’s Red Bull as they moved up to the front of the field. Piastri, who started fourth, drove a race of clinical excellence to pass both Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and then Verstappen to assume the lead, before managing his gap to his pursuers to the end. Mercedes’ George Russell benefited from one of three virtual safety-car periods to vault ahead of Verstappen and take the final podium place.

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