Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won a chaotic and crash-halted Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola on Sunday, with Lewis Hamilton second for Mercedes and keeping the championship lead by a single point.
The victory, by a commanding 22 seconds, was the 11th of the Dutch youngster’s career.
Hamilton started on pole but dropped from second to ninth after skidding into the gravel and nudging the barriers at Tosa with his car at a standstill and a retirement looming.
He kept the engine running, reversed back out, returned to the pits and fought his way back to the podium with a stirring recovery drive after the race was stopped and re-started halfway through.
McLaren’s Lando Norris completed the top three as two British drivers stood together on the podium for the first time since 2012.
The results: 1. Verstappen (Red Bull); 2. Hamilton (Mercedes) +22.000s; 3. Norris (McLaren ) 23.702; 4. Leclerc (Ferrari) 25.579; 5. Sainz Jr. (Ferrari) 27.036; 6. Ricciardo (McLaren) 51.220; 7. Stroll (Aston Martin) 51.909; 8. Gasly (AlphaTauri) 52.818; 9. Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo) 1:04.773; 10. Ocon (Alpine) 1:05.704; 11. Alonso (Alpine) 1:06.561; 12 Perez (Red Bull) 1:07.151; 13. Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) 1:13.184; +1 lap: 14. Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo); 15. Vettel (Aston Martin); +2 laps: 16. Schumacher (Haas); 17. Mazepin (Haas); DNF: Bottas (Mercedes); Russell (Williams); Latifi (Williams)
Standings: Drivers: 1. Hamilton 44; 2. Verstappen 43; 3. Norris 27; 4. Leclerc 20; 5. Bottas 16.
Constructors: 1. Mercedes 60; 2. Red Bull Racing 53; 3. McLaren 41; 4. Ferrari 34; 5. Aston Martin 7.
