And so, Piastri heads to the Monaco Grand Prix with a clear directive: if he gets pole, he must cover off Verstappen’s lunges at all costs. Sunday’s race is an opportunity to resume the status quo and bounce back, with pole position - strategy blunders aside - likely to determine the finishing order.

Luke Plapp of Jayco AlUla won stage eight of the Giro d'Italia on Saturday with a formidable solo effort to clinch victory on the 197 km ride from Giulianova to Castelraimondo.

Helmut Marko was delighted with Red Bull’s steps forward at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, declaring that the Milton Keynes squad have ‘the same or better tyre wear’ than McLaren. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will need to sit up and take notice after the title fight was reignited.

Max Verstappen fell just .034 of a second short of the Australian’s time.

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