Lewis Hamilton predicted Imola was going to deliver a boring race, and for 48 laps he was generally right. But it’s not just overtaking that leads to excitement and the trigger for a dramatic conclusion turned out to be a Red Bull tyre.
It was a race that fell into Hamilton’s lap but it was also one that allowed him to demonstrate one of his most crucial – although admittedly not glamorous – strengths.
Starting from second, Hamilton’s getaway wasn’t good enough to withstand the threat of Max Verstappen, who instantly picked up the slipstream from Valtteri Bottas and pulled ahead of the championship leader. At that point it really looked like game on, with Bottas leading but Verstappen able to stick with the Finn and Hamilton not able to get close enough to attack from third.
