F1 / NEWS & CONTEXT

Verstappen recalls surprise Imola pass on Piastri

Max Verstappen has recalled his first-lap pass on Oscar Piastri at Imola as an overtake that surprised even him and helped set up his victory.

GPBeat · Newsroom29 Sept 2026, 16:35 · 1 min

Asked to name his favourite overtake, Verstappen said it was difficult to choose just one. He picked out his move on Oscar Piastri shortly after the start of the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix as one he particularly enjoyed, in comments on the P1 with Matt & Tommy podcast reported by RacingNews365 Nederland on 29 September 2026.

Verstappen passed Piastri around the outside while braking for the first corner. He said he had not expected Piastri to brake so early and decided to commit to the move. Its unexpected nature, he suggested, was part of what made it memorable.

Verstappen went on to win at Imola, his second victory of 2025. Looking back, he described the opening-lap pass as a move that ultimately proved decisive for that win.

Sources 01

SOURCEVerstappen velt oordeel over ultieme inhaalactie: "Niemand zag die aankomen"RacingNews365 Nederland · Source date as found: 2026-09-29

Source context

RacingNews365 Nederland reported the comments on 29 September 2026, citing the P1 with Matt & Tommy podcast; the podcast episode was not provided.

Claims and supporting evidence 4

RacingNews365 reports that Max Verstappen answered a question about his favourite overtaking move on the P1 with Matt & Tommy podcast. The supplied material is RacingNews365’s account, not the podcast itself.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Attribution of the reported opinion Reported on 29 September 2026; the podcast date is not established by the supplied page. The wording and context of the original recording have not been checked.

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According to RacingNews365’s quotation, Verstappen singled out his move just after the start at Imola as one he recalled liking. He said choosing one was difficult; the quotation does not establish an unequivocal ranking of every overtake in his career.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Verstappen’s choice and its degree of certainty Remark reported in September 2026 about the 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The assessment is Verstappen’s reported preference, not an objective ranking.

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In RacingNews365’s quotation, Verstappen said he had not expected Piastri to brake so early and then committed to the outside move. This is his account of his decision, not independently verified braking data.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Reason the move surprised Verstappen Account reported in September 2026 of the opening lap at Imola in 2025. No telemetry or original podcast recording was supplied; neither is necessary to report the statement as his account.

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RacingNews365 says the move laid the foundation for Verstappen’s Imola victory, his second win of 2025. Verstappen is quoted as saying that the move turned out to be for the win; this describes its eventual significance, not proof that the first-lap pass alone secured the result.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Race significance 2025 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, described in a September 2026 report. The race result and causal characterization are supported here by one read publication; no official race record was supplied.

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This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.