Max Verstappen targets F1 rival Oscar Piastri when choosing his favourite overtake

Four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen has revealed his favourite overtaking manoeuvre since joining the grid in 2015.

Verstappen opted for a relatively recent Grand Prix, identifying his remarkable move to pass Oscar Piastri on the opening lap at the Emilia-Romagna GP last year as the best of his career.

The 28-year-old won the last four of the five Emilia-Romagna races at Imola before the GP was dropped from the F1 calendar and provided one of its most eye-catching moments on his final outing.

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Verstappen explains his spectacular move on Oscar Piastri at Imola

Verstappen slipped past Piastri on the outside in the opening chicane, leaving behind a busy chasing pack and capitalising on his speed to pull away from polesitter Piastri in lap one.

The Red Bull driver led a disrupted race from there and finished six seconds clear of eventual world champion Lando Norris, who overtook Piastri in a similar spot in lap 58.

"It's very hard to pick one," Verstappen said on the P1 Podcast.

"Probably the one that comes up in my mind now is after the start in Imola. I think no one saw that one coming.

"I didn't know at the time that Oscar was going to brake so early, so I just go to the right and say, 'Well, now I'm just going to send it.' I just commit."

Piastri's decision was a defensive move with George Russell's Mercedes making a move, and Verstappen seized his moment.

It was the second GP win of a season that Verstappen ended very strongly only to be held off by Norris despite being on the podium for all of the last 10 races.

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Verstappen condemns F1 cars that 'don't suit anything'

The Dutch driver also discussed the return of the Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao next June, six years after the circuit's covid cameo on the F1 calendar.

"I'm excited to go back to Portugal," he said. "I love Portugal. I love to be in that area as well, and it's a great track. The racing can be a bit tough but a single lap, it's very beautiful."

But when asked whether Portimao will suit the current incarnation of F1's machinery, Verstappen said: "Well, these cars don't suit anything. You just make the best of it.

"I hope of course [in] the coming years it will get a bit better."

Verstappen and his Red Bull will be returning to another familiar circuit for the delayed Bahrain GP this weekend.

The early-season race at Sakhir was postponed because of the conflict in the Middle East and relocated to Malaysia.

Nine years ago, Verstappen won the last Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.

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