2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix: Winners and Losers Analysis
The Last Waltz at Imola? Or Just Another Chapter in F1’s Eternal Soap Opera
If this was indeed Imola’s swan song, the old circuit made sure to leave us with a hangover. The 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix delivered a race that was equal parts strategic chess, opportunistic bravado, and, for some, a lesson in how quickly fortunes can turn in Formula 1. Pirelli’s softer compounds and two perfectly timed Safety Cars conspired to shake up the order, and the result was a race that will be dissected in paddocks and pubs for weeks to come.
Let’s separate the heroes from the heartbreaks, the tacticians from the tactless, and the lucky from the lamentable.
Verstappen’s Ruthless Renaissance
Max Verstappen arrived at Imola with the air of a man who’d just been mugged in Miami and was looking for payback. Red Bull, battered and bruised by a string of McLaren victories, needed a tonic. Verstappen provided it with a drive that was as much about psychology as it was about speed.
The defining moment? Lap 1, Turn 1. Oscar Piastri, fresh off a hat-trick of wins and sitting pretty on pole, left the door open. Verstappen didn’t just walk through it—he kicked it off its hinges with a late-braking move around the outside into Tamburello that had echoes of his Mexico 2021 heroics. As George Russell put it on the radio:
If you leave the door open, you know Max is going to take it. The door was open. And he took it. So that was a bit frustrating.
George Russell
From there, Verstappen controlled the race with the kind of authority that’s become his trademark. Red Bull’s upgrades finally seemed to bite, and for the first time in months, McLaren looked genuinely rattled. Verstappen’s win—his 65th—puts him right back in the title hunt, and if you’re looking for omens, remember: every time you think Max is down, he’s just winding up for another punch.
Read more: The winners and losers from F1’s 2025 Imola GP (Motorsport.com)
McLaren: From Dominance to Doubt
For McLaren, Imola was a cold shower after the Miami heat. Piastri’s pole was a statement, but his race was a cautionary tale in how quickly momentum can evaporate. He was mugged at the start, then left out on worn tyres after a late Safety Car, making him easy prey for teammate Lando Norris, who snatched second in a move that was as much about intra-team psychology as it was about points.
Piastri’s championship lead is now a slender 13 points, and the Australian was left to rue both his own caution and the team’s strategic missteps. As Norris said over the radio after the race:
Let’s keep pushing, guys. I know it’s been a lovely start [to the season], but [we] weren’t quick enough to win it today.
Lando Norris
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella admitted to being “a little surprised” by Red Bull’s pace. If that’s not code for “we’re worried,” I don’t know what is.
Winners and losers from F1’s 2025 Imola race (The Race)
Ferrari: Hamilton’s Redemption, Leclerc’s Resignation
Ferrari’s home race was, in true Italian fashion, a melodrama. Qualifying was a disaster—both cars out in Q2, the Tifosi contemplating early aperitifs. But race day brought a glimmer of hope, courtesy of Lewis Hamilton.
Starting 12th, Hamilton executed a flawless recovery drive, aided by Safety Cars and an alternative tyre strategy. He passed Charles Leclerc late on with fresher rubber, earning his best result yet for Ferrari and a rare moment of joy for the Scuderia faithful. Hamilton, ever the showman, soaked in the adulation:
It brought back memories of watching Michael Schumacher bask in the same adoration.
Lewis Hamilton
Leclerc, meanwhile, was left to stew on another race where strategy and luck conspired against him. Sixth place was a salvage job, but for a man who stood on the podium here last year, it’s a bitter pill.
Five winners and five losers from F1’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (Crash.net)
Williams: The Quiet Revolution
While the big teams squabbled, Williams quietly racked up another double points finish—its third in a row. Alex Albon was the star, matching his best result of the season with fifth, and at one point even daydreaming about having a go at Piastri’s McLaren. Carlos Sainz, despite grumbling about strategy, brought it home in eighth.
For a team supposedly focused on 2026, Williams is making the most of the present. Their FW47 may not be the prettiest car on the grid, but it’s proving to be a points magnet. If you’re looking for a dark horse in the midfield, look no further.
Emilia Romagna GP 2025: F1’s biggest winners and losers (Yahoo Sports)
Mercedes: Hot Weather, Cold Comfort
Mercedes’ weekend was a study in frustration. George Russell summed it up with typical British understatement:
We had absolutely zero pace, clearly a trend when it’s hot—the track was really hot. When it’s hot, we’re nowhere, when it’s cold, we’re quick.
George Russell
Russell limped to seventh, snapping his streak of top-five finishes, while Kimi Antonelli’s home debut ended in heartbreak with a throttle failure. The W16’s Achilles’ heel—heat—was exposed for all to see. Toto Wolff and company have work to do, and fast.
Formula 1: Winners and Losers From the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (Autoevolution)
Aston Martin: Upgrades, But No Uplift
Aston Martin gambled on strategy, keeping an extra set of mediums at the expense of hards. It looked clever on Saturday, with Fernando Alonso qualifying fifth, but two Safety Cars and early stops left both Alonso and Lance Stroll exposed. Alonso finished 11th, still point-less in 2025, and summed up his luck on the radio:
I’m the unluckiest driver ever.
Fernando Alonso
The upgrades are working, but the results aren’t coming. For a team that started the season with high hopes, Imola was another missed opportunity.
The Rest: Hadjar’s Rise, Tsunoda’s Tumble, Haas in the Doldrums
Isack Hadjar continues to impress at Racing Bulls, converting ninth on the grid into ninth at the flag—a calm, collected drive that’s making him a contender for rookie of the year. Yuki Tsunoda, meanwhile, survived a terrifying qualifying crash to recover from the pitlane to tenth, earning praise from Red Bull’s brass but putting himself on the back foot for spare parts.
Haas, as ever, found new ways to suffer. Esteban Ocon retired early, Oliver Bearman’s race was ruined by a botched pit stop, and the team left Imola with nothing but a headache.
Statistical Snapshot: The Numbers Behind the Drama
- Max Verstappen: 65th career win, now just 13 points behind Piastri in the championship.
- Oscar Piastri: Pole position, but only third at the flag—his lead slashed.
- Alex Albon: Third top-five finish in seven races, Williams’ best run since 2015.
- Lewis Hamilton: Best result for Ferrari, up from 12th on the grid to fourth.
- George Russell: First finish outside the top five in 2025.
For the full race results, see Crash.net’s race report.
Historical Parallels: When the Tide Turns
Imola has always been a circuit where the unexpected can happen. Think back to 1982, when Didier Pironi and Gilles Villeneuve’s infamous feud boiled over, or 2005, when Fernando Alonso held off Michael Schumacher in a duel for the ages. This year’s race, with its strategic swings and bold overtakes, fits neatly into that tradition.
And as ever, the lesson is clear: in Formula 1, the only constant is change. Today’s winner is tomorrow’s cautionary tale, and vice versa.
Waste a bit more time
For those who wish to dive deeper into the drama, here’s your reading (and viewing) list:
- The winners and losers from F1’s 2025 Imola GP (Motorsport.com)
- Winners and losers from F1’s 2025 Imola race (The Race)
- Five winners and five losers from F1’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (Crash.net)
- Emilia Romagna GP 2025: F1’s biggest winners and losers (Yahoo Sports)
- Formula 1: Winners and Losers From the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (Autoevolution)
- Verstappen’s Piastri lesson, McLaren’s fear, Tsunoda’s tumble (PlanetF1)
- Race Results: 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix (Crash.net)
- Relevant YouTube: Verstappen FIRES BACK at McLaren! (Insane Lap ⚡)
If you’re still reading, congratulations: you’re either a true fan or you’ve lost a bet. Either way, see you in Monaco—where, if history is any guide, the only thing more unpredictable than the racing will be the weather.
