Max Verstappen added an extra touch of celebration to Red Bull’s 400th Formula 1 race with a surprising victory in Imola. Immediately after the race, the four-time world champion from Red Bull expressed his satisfaction. “Everything worked out well,” he told interviewer David Coulthard on the grid.
The key to Verstappen’s triumph was the overtaking move at the start against polesitter Oscar Piastri. “My start wasn’t great, but I was still on the outside, on the normal racing line. I thought, I’ll try it on the outside and it worked,” Verstappen reflected on the decisive moment of the race.
About the rest of the race, Verstappen said: “The car was good. I was able to manage my tires well and the speed was good. We made huge progress compared to last Friday. Even after the safety car situation, we had everything under control, which allowed us to secure the victory. Everything worked out well, including the pit stops and the strategy. A good performance from the team.”
Next week, the Monaco GP is on the schedule. “Then everything will be completely different again. That will be another challenge. But I want to enjoy this victory first.”
