A CHAMPIONSHIP LESS PREDICTABLE THAN IT SEEMS

For those who thought the title fight had already narrowed down to an internal McLaren battle, the Imola weekend told a different story. We saw hints of it in Miami: the MCL39 is an incredibly fast car—especially in optimal conditions—but Red Bull is far from out of the picture. Max Verstappen proved that once again, delivering a win built on class and determination.

The RB21 may not match McLaren’s consistency or outright pace, but on driver-focused tracks where rear tire wear isn’t excessive, it still has something to say. It’s not a rocket ship, but it’s no rolling wreck either. And when you put it in Max’s hands, it becomes a lethal weapon. His move into Turn 1 was the perfect example—aggressive, clean, decisive. Sure, Piastri left the door open with a questionable defense, but the outcome is clear: second win of the season and a rock-solid race pace.

What about McLaren? Something didn’t quite click at Imola. The pace was there, but qualifying had a heavy impact. Piastri did a great job snagging pole—helped a bit by the mess at Rivazza 1—while Norris once again faltered when it mattered most. It’s becoming evident that extracting the absolute maximum in qualifying is still tricky. The MCL39 is a high-performance machine, yes, but it’s also extremely twitchy at the limit. The drivers’ mistakes aren’t random—stringing together three perfect sectors remains a tall order. And in a championship this tight, any slip-up in qualifying comes at a high cost.

Despite it all, Norris recovered well on Sunday, salvaging what he could from a tough weekend.

And Ferrari? After a Saturday to forget, finishing fourth and sixth almost felt like a small revival—which in itself speaks volumes about where they currently stand. Leclerc showed solid pace but was hampered by the Virtual Safety Car. But let’s be honest: was the podium really within reach for Maranello? It’s hard to believe. At best, they could have fought for fourth or fifth. But with Leclerc involved, every scenario gets a dramatic twist from the Italian media.

Hamilton had arguably his most consistent race of 2025 so far, staying on pace with his teammate for most of the day. But the broader picture for Mercedes remains disappointing—never truly competitive and lacking bite all weekend. Antonelli, in particular, had a race to forget. A quick reset is needed.

Among the positives, once again, Alexander Albon stood out: solid, fast, and consistent. Far from being crushed by the looming arrival of Sainz, the Thai driver is putting together a very respectable season. A shame, instead, for Aston Martin, whose race was heavily impacted by the VSC and Safety Car.

Let’s close with the hottest post-race debate: tire choice in the final stint. Some cried scandal over Ferrari’s decision not to put Leclerc on softs. But a simple look back at qualifying tells you why: the C6 compound struggled to handle even one flying lap without overheating. Running ten or twelve laps in race conditions would have been suicide. Aston Martin, for instance, had fresh red tires but chose not to use them—even with their race already compromised. Still, in Italy, the media chose to spin the drama: Ferrari should have followed Leclerc’s "heart." But in Formula 1, heart rarely beats strategy.

© Simone Marchetti Cavalieri

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