Lando Norris – McLaren (P2) 8/10
Norris didn’t have the pace to win, but boy, did he make a statement. Outmuscling his title-leading teammate Piastri with a cheeky, tyre-offset-aided pass, Norris snagged second in a race that was more about pride than pace. “Clearly just not the pace to win today,” he admitted, but who cares when you’ve outdone your rival fair and square? After a few weekends under the microscope for slip-ups, Lando flipped the script with a bold move that screamed, “I’m still in this fight!” A solid day’s work for McLaren’s runner-up.
Max Verstappen - Red Bull (P1) 10/10
Max Verstappen heard the doubters after Miami’s 40-second drubbing and responded with a classic Imola masterclass. No pole? No problem. A daring ‘bin it or win it’ outside move into Tamburello – thanks, Piastri, for the open door – set the tone, and Red Bull’s tyre management sealed the deal. Max kept the RB21’s rears alive on a degradation-heavy track, proving he’s still the difference-maker. After McLaren’s recent dominance, this win was Red Bull’s much-needed shot of espresso. Verstappen is back, and he’s not here to play nice.
