With a spectacular overpass, Verstappen won Leclerc the sprint race and will start the Formula 1 Grand Prix first in Imola

This was Verstappen's surpass to Leclerc to win the sprint race

Apparently, the big Formula 1 match at the start of the season is focused on two drivers. In the sprint race of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, Max Verstappen won the win and beat Charles Leclerc to win the competition. In this way, the Red Bull driver will start this Sunday's Grand Prix from first position.

After finishing with the best record on Friday, which enabled him to start on pole, the reigning world champion was surprised by the good start of the Ferrari driver, who beat him and took the lead in the race. But in the decisive part of the race, Verstappen appeared in all its glory and it was on the second to last lap that he overtook with a spectacular maneuver. The native of the Netherlands entered the DRS zone and put pressure on Leclerc, who suffered from tire wear.

After passing the main straight, Red Bull's No. 1 car pounced to the right on the main straight and overtook the Ferrari F-75 on the outside in the first corner. After finishing in first position, Verstappen walked away in the lead and won by almost three seconds.

The one who completed a great sprint race was Sergio Checo Pérez. The Mexican driver started from the seventh box on the grid and managed to climb to third place in the final standings. In 4th place finished Spaniard Carlos Sainz, who also achieved a recovery after starting from 10th place on the grid.

Behind the other Ferrari driver, who has just extended his contract with the Maranello team until 2024, both McLaren, Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo finished. Valtteri Bottas took seventh place, ahead of Kevin Magnussen's Haas, who won the last available spot. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) and Mick Schumacher completed the top ten of the race at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari racetrack in Imola.

With the results of the sprint race, L eclerc remains at the helm of the championship in comfort: he has 78 points and leads his teammate Sainz by 40 units, accumulating 38 points. The Spaniard is followed by George Russell (37), Perez (36) and Verstappen (33), while Lewis Hamilton is sixth with 28 points. The seven-time Formula 1 champion did not have a good competition and finished 14th on a tough Saturday for Mercedes.

In the constructors' championship, Ferrari leads with 116 units and Red Bull advanced to second place with 69, four more than Mercedes (65) after 2-3 of its drivers this Saturday.

This Sunday, a new edition of the rivalry between Verstappen and Leclerc will be seen on the track. The big goal for Red Bull will be to reap a victory, the same for Ferrari, who wants to win at home and celebrate in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

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