Red Bull boss Christian Horner has suggested that potential "self-interest" from both McLaren drivers could see his team benefit as

Two weeks after receiving a drubbing in Miami, Red Bull bounced back by defeating McLaren on merit at the F1 Imola GP. What happened?

McLaren opted for an early pit stop with Piastri on Lap 14, while Verstappen chose to stay on track. This decision backfired after Esteban Ocon had to stop on Lap 29, resulting in a VSC that allowed those who hadn't pitted, including Verstappen, to change tires without losing much time. When he rejoined, Verstappen led by around 20 seconds.