Lando Norris Confesses No Answer to Max’s Blazing Speed at Imola

Lando Norris finished second in the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, but the McLaren driver made it clear there was no catching Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. Norris started fourth but moved up to runner-up with a strong recovery drive on Sunday, May 18, 2025.

Although he gave it everything in the closing laps, Norris admitted Verstappen was simply “too fast,” and the team could not match the Red Bull’s pace on this circuit. Norris said after the race that he believed second was “the best we could achieve today,” emphasizing that Verstappen’s speed made a challenge for the win impossible.

Even with a late push after the safety car came in, the British driver found the gap to Verstappen too big to close. He stated, “Max was fast, the Red Bull was quick, so I don’t think we really had an answer to them – even in the final stint, you know.”

Reflecting on his qualifying result, Norris thought that even if he had started on the front row, Verstappen’s pace in the Red Bull would have been too strong. His McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri qualified on pole for the third time this season, but Verstappen swept to the front at the first corner.

The Dutch driver stayed ahead for the rest of the race, leading every lap and keeping both McLaren cars at bay. Piastri finished just behind Norris, making it another double podium for the team.

The drivers’ standings tightened after Imola, with Piastri now leading on 146 points, Norris holding second, and Verstappen only 22 points off the top. Norris expressed satisfaction with his Sunday race performance, especially after a Saturday qualifying session that left him fourth on the grid.

He has struggled in recent qualifying sessions, which he says has made his race days much harder. “I have been the whole season, and I still feel like I’m very strong,” Norris explained.

“It’s just my Saturdays make my life way too difficult come Sunday. I have to fight back. I always need to take risks with overtakes. I work harder than what I should and what I need to.”

Looking ahead on the calendar, the Formula 1 teams will head next to Monaco, with Norris and McLaren hoping to build on recent form. The Monte Carlo race is the second in a demanding triple-header, which wraps up in Spain a week later.

Norris remains positive about his chances and is eager to close the gap to both his teammate and Verstappen in the championship. Photographers captured dramatic images from Imola, highlighting the intense battle between the McLarens and Red Bull.

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix once again showed the high level of competition this season, with three different drivers still in close contention for the title. While Red Bull and Verstappen claimed the top step, McLaren continues to show strength, keeping fans excited for the races ahead. For more details on the championship standings, you can check the official FIA standings page.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.