F1 Imola GP 2024 LIVE: Race results, standings and updates as Max Verstappen holds off Lando Norris

Verstappen wins from pole at the Emilia Romagna GP despite Norris’ late surge for the win

Lando Norris returns to McLaren HQ after Miami Grand Prix triumph

Max Verstappen held off a dramatic Lando Norris fightback to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Verstappen crossed the line just 0.725 seconds clear of Norris in Imola to take his fifth victory from the seven rounds so far.

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, one place ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri with Carlos Sainz fifth. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished sixth and seventh respectively for Mercedes.

Verstappen looked to be on course to claim a comfortable win, but Norris’ superb charge in the closing stages left the Dutchman sweating inside his all-conquering Red Bull. After the sole round of pit-stops, Verstappen held a steady lead of around six seconds, but a turgid race suddenly came alive when Verstappen could offer little response to Norris’ speed.

Follow latest updates from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with The Independent

F1 EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES

• Max Verstappen wins the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix; Norris 2nd; Leclerc 3rd
• Click HERE for the top-10 at Imola
• CLOSE! Norris almost catches Verstappen in the final laps
• START! Max Verstappen holds off Lando Norris at the start
• Fernando Alonso started in the pit lane
• Oscar Piastri was handed a three-place grid drop for impeding Kevin Magnussen in qualifying
• PREVIEW: The key steps for Lando Norris to become an F1 title contender

[18 May 2024 15:27 · Kieran Jackson]

Q2 underway!

15 minutes now where we will again lose the slowest five drivers!

Bit of an update from Q1 - Logan Sargeant’s time was deleted for track limits so he will now start 20th on the grid, with Alonso up to 19th.

[18 May 2024 15:20 · Kieran Jackson]

Fernando ALonso is out in Q1!

Alonso didn’t set a competitive time - he will start P20!

Bottom-five and out in Q1 (16-20): Bottas, Sargeant, Zhou, Magnussen, Alonso

Lewis Hamilton sneaks through in 15th! Close for Mercedes!

And Nico Hulkenberg got himself out of danger by shooting up to P1! Only for Max Verstappen to take P1!

Top-3: Verstappen, Leclerc, Hulkenberg

(Getty Images)

[18 May 2024 15:17 · Kieran Jackson]

Alex Albon up to P12

Will that be enough? Albon 12th, three-tenths outside the drop-zone, with Hamilton 13th.

Bottom-five (16-20): Magnussen, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Zhou, Sargeant

2:00 to go.

[18 May 2024 15:14 · Kieran Jackson]

Fernando Alonso off again!

On his first flying lap, Alonso goes wide at Tamburello and into the gravel! It’s not been a smooth day for the Spaniard, though this time he’s kept the car going.

Bottom-five (16-20): Alonso, Hulkenberg, Zhou, Albon, Sargeant

Daniel Ricciardo and Lewis Hamilton in a spot of bother, in 14th and 12th respectively.

Top-3: Norris, Piastri, Verstappen

4:00 to go.

[18 May 2024 15:10 · Kieran Jackson]

Oscar Piastri quickest early on

Piastri just under a tenth faster than Verstappen at the top, with Norriis third and Perez fourth.

5-10: Leclerc, Ocon, Hamilton, Alonso, Sainz

Six drivers yet to set a time. 8:00 to go.

[18 May 2024 15:06 · Kieran Jackson]

George Russell aborts his lap

Bit odd.

Russell - the only driver on medium tyres - is on a flying lap but heads into the pit-lane at the end! Not too sure why...

Anyhow, first set of flying laps being set now - though around eight cars still in the pit-lane...

[18 May 2024 15:01 · Kieran Jackson]

Q1 underway!

The drivers have the green light at the end of the pit lane and we are underway with the first session of qualifying!

18 minutes - and we will lose the slowest five drivers!

And Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin looks like it will be ready!

[18 May 2024 14:58 · Kieran Jackson]

F1 qualifying at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix!

I think this is pretty open this afternoon!

Ferrari and McLaren have showed more pace than Red Bull in the practice sessions so far but, obviously, write off Max Verstappen at your peril!

It’s 24C, baking sunshine at Imola - no excuses for the drivers!

[18 May 2024 14:55 · Kieran Jackson]

Max Verstappen eyeing a record:

Verstappen is looking to level Ayrton Senna’s F1 record of eight consecutive pole positions with top spot today.

Senna, who has been celebrated so vividly this weekend, set the record from 1988-89.

(Getty Images)

[18 May 2024 14:52 · Kieran Jackson]

Driver Standings ahead of qualifying this weekend:

1. Max Verstappen - 136 points

2. Sergio Perez - 103 points

3. Charles Leclerc - 98 points

4. Lando Norris - 83 points

5. Carlos Sainz - 83 points

6. Oscar Piastri - 41 points

7. George Russell - 37 points

8. Fernando Alonso - 33 points

9. Lewis Hamilton - 27 points

10. Yuki Tsunoda -14 points

11. Lance Stroll - 9 points

12. Oliver Bearman - 6 points

13. Nico Hulkenberg - 6 points

14. Daniel Ricciardo - 5 points

15. Esteban Ocon - 1 point

16. Kevin Magnussen - 1 point

17. Alex Albon - 0 points

18. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points

19. Pierre Gasly - 0 points

20. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points

21. Logan Sargeant - 0 points