Oscar Piastri was flying high after snagging pole at the, but the Emilia Romagna GP became a nightmare. He played it too safe at the start, leaving just enough room for Verstappen to swoop in and steal the lead at Turn 1—a move George Russell called “bound to happen” if Piastri didn’t shut the door.

Max Verstappen gave his Formula 1 title defense a big boost with victory at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix after a daring overtake on standings leader Oscar Piastri at the start.

The four-time world champion marked Red Bull’s 400th grand prix start with a superb victory in Italy, as McLaren had to settle for the remaining podium spots