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In a exciting race at the iconic Imola circuit, Max Verstappen secured victory at the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver fended off a late charge from McLaren's Lando Norris, crossing the finish line with a mere 0.7-second advantage. Verstappen's win marked his fifth victory of the season, further solidifying his championship bid.
The race unfolded with Verstappen and Norris having flawless starts, but Verstappen held firm into his position, preventing Norris' attempts to challenge him. Behind them, Charles Leclerc completed the podium for Ferrari.
Verstappen's lead fluctuated throughout the race, with Norris relentlessly closing the gap. In the final laps, Norris narrowed the margin to just 1.5 seconds, but Verstappen impressively clung to his position, clinching the win. Lando's effort earned him second place, while Leclerc rounded out the top three.
Carlos Sainz contributed to Ferrari’s points tally by finishing in fifth place, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who had a solitary race in sixth for Mercedes. Hamilton was followed by his teammate George Russell in seventh, who made an unexpected late pit stop for medium tires, enabling him to secure the extra point for the fastest lap.
After the race, Verstappen expressed his elation "It was a tough battle, but I knew I had to stay focused. Lando pushed me hard, but we managed to hold on." Norris acknowledged Verstappen's performance stating, "Max drove brilliantly today. We'll regroup and come back stronger."
Expressing his disappointment Norris also added that "It hurts me to say but one or two more laps I think I would have had him. Tough. A shame. I fought hard right until the very last lap but just lost out a little bit too much to Max in the beginning, he was much better in the first stint. In the second stint we were stronger.”
