Race winner Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen holds his trophy on the podium of the Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari race track in Imola on May 18, 2024. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP)
Imola, Italy: Max Verstappen held off McLaren's Lando Norris to clinch his third consecutive Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola on Sunday and extend his lead in the world championship.
The Red Bull three-time world champion had to be at his very coolest to fend off a ferocious attack in the closing laps, edging Norris by only seven-tenths of a second.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took third in the seventh round of the season.
Verstappen set off from pole and appeared to be cruising to his fifth win of the year, until Norris began to reel the pole-sitter in, setting up a tense conclusion.
"I had to push flat out the whole race," said Verstappen.
"The last 10 to 15 laps I had no grip. The last 10 laps I was just flat out. I couldn't afford to make too many mistakes."
Norris, who clinched his maiden win in Miami last time out, was left wishing the race had been a little longer.
"It hurts me to say it, one or two more laps I would have had him," said the in-form Briton.
