McLaren disqualified from Vegas GP – Verstappen title bid revived!

In a stunning post-race twist, both McLaren drivers – Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri – have been disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix after their cars failed technical inspections.

What initially looked like a near-certain path to the 2025 Formula 1 championship for Norris has been thrown into chaos, giving Max Verstappen’s title bid an extraordinary boost with just two races remaining.

Saturday night’s event on the Strip originally finished with Verstappen first, Norris second, and Piastri fourth. Norris had been poised to extend his championship lead over Piastri while Verstappen clawed back some points in his pursuit.

After the race, Norris led Piastri by 30 points and held a 42-point advantage over Verstappen. But the disqualification wipes those results clean, instantly leveling Verstappen and Piastri on 366 points each, while Norris now leads the pair by just 24 points. Suddenly, the title fight is wide open.

McLaren Plank Wear Hits the Skids

McLaren was hit with a double disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix after both of its Formula 1 cars were found to fall short of the minimum rear skid block thickness required under Article 3.5.9 e) of the 2025 F1 technical regulations.

“The thickness of the plank assembly measured normal to the lower surface must be 10mm ± 0.2mm and must be uniform when new,” states the article.

“A minimum thickness of 9mm will be accepted due to wear, and conformity to this provision will be checked at the peripheries of the designated holes.”

Mercedes’ George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have subsequently moved up to second and third in the race’s final results.

Title Calculations Turn on Their Head

The ramifications are immediate and dramatic. Qatar, a sprint weekend, offers 58 points across the two races, 33 of which are available immediately.

With Las Vegas nullified, Piastri no longer needs a near-perfect swing to keep his championship hopes alive. Meanwhile, Verstappen is no longer a distant contender; the six-time race winner can realistically challenge Norris in the final two rounds.

• Read also: Verstappen backs Norris’ Vegas GP start despite costly error

To secure the title in Qatar, Norris must outscore both Piastri and Verstappen by just two points—a slim margin that leaves him vulnerable to any unexpected twist, particularly in Abu Dhabi, a circuit that has historically produced dramatic outcomes despite being the final race of the season.

The stakes are higher than ever. Verstappen, who had been trailing by 49 points before Las Vegas, is suddenly back in serious contention. A strong finish in Qatar could put him on equal footing with Norris and Piastri heading into the season finale, keeping the championship alive across multiple permutations.

With just two races to go, the 2025 drivers’ championship has transformed from a near-certainty for McLaren into a thrilling three-way battle, ensuring that the final two weekends will be among the most gripping conclusions Formula 1 has delivered in recent years.

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