The Imola race raises an important question that sums up a weekend that seemed almost decided after Friday’s free practice, with the MCL39 being the benchmark both on single-lap pace and long runs, while the RB21 struggled with the usual setup issues that often affect its first day on track.
Yet that script, which seemed already written, was thrown out, as a stellar Max Verstappen once again overturned the outcome of the race, snatching away from McLaren what feels like a missed opportunity.
It’s no coincidence that Verstappen described his race as a “perfect execution” after the finish, because taking the win from McLaren required something special: both at the start and tactically, capitalising on potential errors from the rival pit wall – not exactly Woking’s strong suit.
And that’s exactly what happened, starting with the magic of lap one, with the overtake on the outside at the Tamburello chicane, which completely changed the race. Not only did it allow the Dutchman to stay out of Piastri’s dirty air, but it also put him in control of the pace.
As seen in other races, including Miami, Red Bull can match their rivals’ pace with fresh tyres, but over long distances, their weaknesses usually emerge. However, the Imola race painted a more complex picture than it may seem at first glance.
A large part of the gap Max Verstappen built during the first stint over Oscar Piastri came in the first two laps, where the Dutchman was able to push hard and extend his advantage. But from lap three to nine, the picture changed: lap times evened out, and Verstappen extended his lead by just two tenths, bringing it to nearly two seconds.
It was precisely at this stage that the race took a turn. From lap ten onward, Oscar Piastri began to drop off, his lap times increasing significantly while Verstappen remained consistent. “I think Oscar obviously pushed quite hard at the start and you could see he started getting a bit of graining on the front right,” Horner said after the race.
To better understand this, we must also consider the weather conditions. Track temperatures at the start of the race hit 45°C – the highest of the weekend. If tyres are pushed too early, especially through high-energy corners like Piratella, before they are fully ready, it creates a temperature imbalance that can lead to graining.
It’s no coincidence that Oscar Piastri’s lap times worsened almost suddenly, as he began to feel a lack of grip. It wasn’t a matter of pure wear – the tread wasn’t gone – but a thermal issue. Mercedes data confirms this: Russell was told over the radio that the tyre removed during his first stop still had 70% of its tread.
This data highlights how temperature management was key, especially on such a hot surface. Front tyre graining has always been one of McLaren’s major issues – more so than for other teams – and it’s exactly what led to the decision to switch Oscar Piastri to a two-stop strategy.
Although Andrea Stella confirmed McLaren wanted to try a different approach to catch Red Bull off guard, it was mainly a reactive move to Oscar Piastri’s pace in those laps. Not by chance, the team asked him over the radio whether he could keep pushing or if a stop was needed.
McLaren reacted instinctively, not to counter others already on two stops – like Charles Leclerc, who wasn’t a threat – but due to a lack of pace that forced the team to act before the tyres could stabilise.
The problem is that the switch to two stops effectively took Oscar Piastri out of contention. Imola has one of the longest pit lanes on the calendar, with each stop costing 28 seconds. Add the risk of traffic and only one DRS zone, which makes overtaking much harder, and it’s easy to see why a two-stop wasn’t ideal for a front-runner.
Before the VSC triggered by Esteban Ocon’s retirement, Oscar Piastri had to overtake seven cars, which added nearly a second to his deficit to Max. Even without the VSC, his hopes were already fading, as Verstappen could have pitted and rejoined still in front with one less stop.
“In the first stint, if you were in a phase where it looked like the tyres were degrading fast, they actually still had something to give. That’s why Lando, Max, and other drivers went for the one-stop strategy,” Stella confirmed.
The lap-one overtake certainly influenced how the race unfolded, but it wasn’t the only decisive factor in Verstappen’s win, especially considering that Norris couldn’t help due to his qualifying position. McLaren could have aimed to manage tyre degradation better, but even there, hopes were slim given the RB21’s strong pace and the fact that the neutralisations allowed fresh tyres to be fitted.
That’s why Red Bull is staying cautious, not getting carried away despite encouraging results from their Imola upgrades. It’s not the first time the RB21 has looked strong at certain races only to struggle at the next ones.
Andrea Stella remains optimistic for the upcoming rounds, especially those with many slow corners where the MCL39 is still a benchmark. “If you look at the aero maps of Miami and here, they’re very different. We were competitive in Bahrain, China, and Miami. But in fast corners, we don’t have a particular advantage. And Red Bull has improved their car.”
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