Drivers’ standings

Max Verstappen – 161
Charles Leclerc – 113
Sergio Perez – 107
Lando Norris – 101
Carlos Sainz – 93
Oscar Piastri – 53
George Russell – 44
Lewis Hamilton – 35
Fernando Alonso – 33
Yuki Tsunoda – 15

21:45

Podium time

Charles Leclerc gets a massive ovation from the Tifosi as he comes out to step on the third step.

But as we have heard so many times in recent years it’s time for the Dutch and Austrian national anthems for Verstappen and Red Bull.

21:44

Podium finishers enjoying the highlights

The cameras show the podium sitters in the cool-down room where they are seen discussing Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton’s excursions into the gravel during the race.

21:41

Jubilation for Verstappen

21:39

Leclerc: We are looking good for the rest of the season

It’s a podium, I’m very happy when we win and we didn’t quite make it. We tried very hard to put pressure on Lando but later on they were incredibly quick.

The race pace was strong. We were missing on the front straight. We are looking good for the rest of the season and it’s incredible to finish on the podium in front of the Tifosi.

21:38

Norris: One or two more laps I would have had him

One or two more laps I would have had him. I fought hard till the end of the last lap.

He was better in the first stint and we had a much better second half.

We are at the point now where we are in the position of Ferrari and Red Bull. It’s business as usual, it’s just we’re fighting for first or second now. It’s frustrating not to win but it’s what we should expect.

21:37

Verstappen: The whole race I had to go flat out

The whole race I had to go flat out. On the medium tyres were strong but on the hard tyres it was difficult to manage and I had no grip for the last 10 laps.

It is difficult when the tyres don’t work anymore and you have to go flat out. I’m very happy to win here today.

We changed a lot on the car (from practice). We didn’t have much information for the race which is why maybe we struggled on the hard tyres.

21:34

Verstappen extends his lead; Leclerc jumps ahead of Perez into second

Max Verstappen jumps into the arms of his team as he celebrates a victory which extends his lead at the top of the drivers’ championship.

He shares a hug with his close friend Lando Norris, who pushed him right at the end.

The Ferrari fans in attendance will be happy to see Charles Leclerc complete the podium – and it is a result that puts him ahead of Sergio Perez in second in the championship.

Leclerc has shown great consistency this season, though his wait for a victory continues.

21:31

Verstappen: I had to work for that

Max Verstappen sounds very relieved on the radio saying he had to work hard for that victory.

He will be shattered.

Lando Norris meanwhile tells his team they were unlucky and ‘lost too much time at the beginning’.

21:30

Charles Leclerc gets on the podium for Ferrari

Charles Leclerc finishes third to give the Tifosi something to smile about.

The rest of the points finishers are Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda.

Russell might have lost two points for pitting late on, but he gains one back for clinching the fastest lap.

21:28

Max Verstappen WINS the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Lando Norris is honing in on Max Verstappen, within a second, but he is not close enough as the Dutchman crosses the line to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – the 59th of his career!

Brilliant effort by Lando Norris but he can’t repeat his feat from the Miami Grand Prix.

21:27

Huge moment from Norris!

Lap 62: Agonising for Norris! He is not giving up and pushing the life out of his McLaren car as he almost runs into the gravel as he desperately tries to cling onto that Red Bull.

Norris missed DRS by 0.049 seconds as they enter the last lap.

21:26

Verstappen reports he has no battery

Lap 61: Norris still finding a little bit of time but it will take a big effort to get in that DRS zone and then be quick enough to pass the Dutchman who has reported that he is out of battery.

Meanwhile there is a lovely move by Esteban Ocon for 14th on Valterri Bottas.

Fernando Alonso comes in for another stop putting on the soft tyres.

21:24

Norris losing grip

Lap 60: Lando Norris is on the radio telling his team he has lost all grip now.

Max Verstappen only has a 1.5 second lead but he looks comfortable.

21:23

Russell won’t be pleased

Lap 59: George Russell is flying and has closed the gap to Lewis Hamilton to 13 seconds – but he won’t be best pleased at having to give up a position to his team-mate.

Meanwhile, Lance Stroll did get past Yuki Tsunoda for ninth, with both set to finish in the points.

21:22

Two hairy moments for Norris

Lap 58: Lando Norris has a huge snap of oversteer coming out of the Tamburello chicane.

He then has a jolt on the exit of Villeneuve over the kerbs. That would have lost him a little bit of time.

This will be a straight battle, there is no backmarkers ahead of the pair anytime soon.

21:20

Norris: I am pushing as hard as I can

Lap 57: The gap is down to 1.6 seconds between the top-two – Verstappen has picked his pace up slightly but the McLaren is still quicker and Lando Norris tells his mechanic ‘I am pushing as hard as I can’.

21:19

Verstappen: Can he be anymore stupid?

Lap 55: Norris has taken another second off Verstappen near enough, as George Russell sets the fastest lap of the race from seventh.

Verstappen is telling his team that his car ‘doesn’t turn’ and also has a pop at Yuki Tsunoda for impeding him saying ‘can he be anymore stupid?’

You can see Norris on the main straight hunting the triple world champion down.

21:17

Norris is flying!

Lap 54: Alex Albon is the first retirement of the race from last place.

But there could be a battle at the front with Norris now just over three seconds behind Verstappen.

Could he challenge the Red Bull driver for the win?

21:16

Russell makes a second stop

Lap 53: George Russell pits for the second time and rejoins just ahead of Sergio Perez despite the Mexican setting the fastest lap.

Might have just surrendered two points to Lewis Hamilton there, as there is a 22 second gap to his team-mate and if the seven-time champion pits he will be behind Perez.

Russell won’t be best pleased!

21:14

Norris can see Verstappen’s issues

Lap 52: Norris is told about Verstappen’s problems with his tyres to which he replies ‘I see, I see, I see’.

On that lap he took four tenths out of the Dutchman.

21:12

Norris second quicker than Verstappen

Lap 51: There’s some action further back as Kevin Magnussen gets past Esteban Ocon for 14th.

Lando Norris has taken another second out of Verstappen.

Verstappen tells his team his ‘tyres don’t work’ but there’s not quite full panic at Red Bull… just yet.

Oscar Piastri is seven seconds behind Leclerc so the Ferrari driver as things stand will be the first for the team to finish on the podium at Imola since Michael Schumacher.

21:10

Norris closing the gap on Verstappen

Lap 49: George Russell is struggling in his Mercedes but has a healthy 5.2 second gap to Lewis Hamilton.

Max Verstappen has lost a second to Lando Norris, but perhaps just managing his pace given the advantage he holds.

Lando Norris appears to have second sown up unless Charles Leclerc can find a second burst of pace – with the gap now 2.6 seconds between the pair.

21:08

Leclerc cuts across the grass

Lap 47: Charles Leclerc cuts across the grass at Variante Alta though it’s not a big loss for the Ferrari driver who only loses half a second.

Sergio Perez appears to have given up and is making no in-roads on Lewis Hamilton with the gap remaining at 29 seconds.

21:06

Stroll moves into the top 10

Lap 46: Norris has managed to sneak away with the gap now just over a second thanks to his personal best time of the race.

Oscar Piastri seems to be responding to Carlos Sainz’s pace too.

Meanwhile, there is a pass further back as Lance Stroll gets past Nico Hulkenberg for what is the final points paying position.

He has much fresher tyres than Yuki Tsunoda in ninth so that could be another battle to watch out for.