Max Verstappen wins with strength: Red Bull’s evolution matches the driver’s level
In F1 2025, Max Verstappen and Red Bull celebrate their 400th Grand Prix in the top category of motorsport in the best possible way: with a highly meaningful victory at Imola. Exactly a year ago, on the Imola circuit, McLaren had shown it had seized the crown of technological leadership, even if the race was narrowly won by the four-time world champion.
Yesterday’s result is a reassuring affirmation for the entire technical staff led by Waché, as the first updates seem to be working. If Saturday’s front row looked like yet another piece of magic from the Dutchman, few would have bet on victory. Yet, after passing Piastri at the Tamburello chicane, the world champion set a pace unreachable even for the current championship leader.
Max always in full control of the race
The race’s two neutralizations first gave the chance to exploit the Virtual Safety Car and extend the gap over the papaya-colored rivals. However, the Safety Car, necessary to safely remove Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, put everything back into question, neutralizing a lead of over 18 seconds. The Red Bull champion managed the restart perfectly.
He delivered a strong push between Rivazza 1 and 2, securing a safe gap to Oscar Piastri, who had older tyres. In short, Max’s second win of the season is quite different from his triumph in Japan. At Suzuka, the McLarens of Piastri and Norris shadowed the RB21 for the entire race, proving that Red Bull’s technical superiority remained hidden due to the specific layout of the Japanese track.
Aside from the driver’s greatness, the Austrian car worked really well at Imola, allowing Max to control the race quite comfortably. Yesterday’s win might mark a reversal of last year’s turning point on the banks of the Santerno River. And the good news for the team led by Christian Horner doesn’t end there.
The updates are working
It’s worth noting that the Italian track isn’t very indicative when it comes to defining the absolute value of the cars. However, the performance leap in the race was too clear to go unnoticed. At the Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Red Bull introduced the first significant upgrades to the car — and the results were encouraging.
The updates seem to confirm that the RB21 is a car with much untapped potential. Truth be told, the weekend hadn’t started in the best way. Max’s fist-pounding on the steering wheel during free practice made it clear he wasn’t satisfied with the car’s balance, both in qualifying trim and long runs.
One of the Austrian team’s strengths is its ability to effectively intervene on the car between Friday and Saturday — a constant that’s no coincidence. The engineers are masters at capitalizing on the data gathered in the first two sessions, then applying the right setup changes. In the development battle, it remains to be seen how far the RB21 can evolve compared to the MCL39.
New scenarios ahead for Red Bull
It must be said that yesterday’s tyre management was easier than in Miami. Nevertheless, once again, Red Bull’s engineers hinted at plenty of optimism regarding what might happen from the Spanish Grand Prix onward, when stricter tests on flexible wings will come into effect. The drivers’ championship is far more open than one might think, thanks largely to Max’s brilliance.
Also, within the team, there’s no internal hierarchy or performance balancing between drivers. In the long run, McLaren’s Piastri and Norris could take points off each other. Therefore, for the Hasselt-born talent, it’s all about staying alert and seizing every small opportunity — just like he did yesterday at the Tamburello braking zone.
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