Max Verstappen's opportunistic around-the-outside overtake that surprised polesitter Oscar Piastri was the decisive moment in Formula 1's Imola race.
And while Red Bull team boss Christian Horner described it as a "win it or bin it" move, Verstappen said he did not think it was on at first.
The world champion was at risk of falling to third behind Mercedes driver George Russell at the first corner, but Russell was stuck behind Piastri's McLaren on the inside line, giving Verstappen the freedom to brake later on the outside.
Fending off Russell looked straightforward in the circumstances but what was unexpected - especially to the erstwhile race leader - was Verstappen flying around the outside of both of them then claiming the inside for the second part of the Tamburello chicane.
"I was quite far back at the time before braking, I was basically in P3," said Verstappen.
"I was on the normal braking line but I still had to come from far.
"As soon as I braked late and came off the brakes I thought there might be a move on, so I carried the speed in and luckily it was sticking.
"It’s not an easy move to make."
Verstappen was praised by team boss Horner for being "incredibly decisive" and "just so good in those situations".
"His start, and that first corner was kind of win it or bin it, the commitment that he had," said Horner.
"Oscar was fair and gave him space. He's coming from a way back, and George is up the inside, but he just commits to the corner, and was given enough space by Oscar.
"And that was the last they saw of him."
During the race, Russell was surprised and annoyed by Piastri braking so early, and vented his frustration over the radio. Afterwards he said Piastri had left the door open for Verstappen and "you know Max is going to take it".
"That was a bit frustrating," said Russell.
"I was obviously boxed in, I made a really strong start, but the track's just too narrow for these big F1 cars these days, there's nothing we can do.
"He [Piastri] could've left the door open to me and braked very late himself and he'd have been leading, I'd have been second.
"But [it was] not straightforward in that position."
Verstappen's move was clearly one that Piastri did not see coming. The usually robust championship leader, who had forced his way by Verstappen at the first corner in Saudi Arabia then jumped Kimi Antonelli in the sprint race in Miami in similar fashion, covered the inside line into the first corner.
Piastri admitted "I thought I had it under control" and was surprised by "a good move from Max". He said he would have to "learn for next time, clearly" and when asked if he would do something different in hindsight, replied simply: "I definitely would have done something different. I'd have braked 10 metres later probably."
Despite that disappointment, Piastri - who finished third, behind team-mate Lando Norris - acknowledged that his race fell apart in different ways thereafter.
McLaren's decision to pit him very early backfired, costing him time to Verstappen, who was also able to extend his first stint with ease then benefit from a virtual safety car to make a cheap pitstop.
At one point Verstappen' was almost 20 seconds clear of the chasing McLarens and even a late restart from a full safety car did not give him any concern, such was his pace.
"I wasn't overly concerned not to be in the lead, then the pace wasn't as strong as expected," said Piastri. "That compounded the first corner."
