Jos Verstappen: Vegas 'blunder' puts huge pressure on McLaren

Jos Verstappen believes that McLaren’s technical breach and subsequent double disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix was a “huge blunder” that puts team papaya under enormous pressure for the final two races of the season.

The confetti had barely settled on the Las Vegas Strip when the post-race drama hit McLaren like a desert sandstorm at full fury.

The FIA’s post-race scrutiny found that the skid blocks on both Lando Norris’ and Oscar Piastri’s cars had worn beyond the legal limit, a fundamental technical regulation failure.

The double-DSQ stripped Norris of a crucial second-place finish and Piastri of a solid fourth, instantly reducing Norris’s lead at the top of the championship to just 24 points over both Max Verstappen and Piastri, who are now level on points.

It was an astonishing swing, one that Jos suggested came from pushing the limits too far.

The Plank Wear Blunder

Verstappen senior openly questioned the team’s risk-taking, wondering why McLaren was running their cars so aggressively close to the edge of legality. The technical failure instantly transformed the title race from a comfortable cushion for Norris into a knife-edge battle.

Jos pulled no punches in his assessment of the mistake.

“This is a big mistake from McLaren, a huge blunder, yes. Because why would you push so much on the limit? Maybe it really was an error, but maybe the car just works less well otherwise and they have to do this,” he speculated.

Intriguingly, the former F1 driver confirmed that the Red Bull camp knew the storm was coming even before the official FIA announcement dropped.

“I spoke to Max briefly before he left. He already knew then that they would be disqualified,” he revealed, suggesting the breach was evident to rivals who had witnessed Lando Norris slowing significantly at the end of the race – an action initially theorized to be fuel saving, but now looking like a desperate attempt to reduce further plank wear.

Title Tension Hits Boiling Point

With the points difference now equivalent to just one race victory, the room for error at McLaren has vanished entirely. Jos is certain the team is now feeling the suffocating heat of the title fight.

“The pressure at McLaren is now enormous and they will feel it,” Jos stressed.

“It’s still the case that if Max wins the remaining races and Norris finishes second every time, then Norris becomes world champion,” he acknowledged, but then quickly pointed to the second threat lurking in the orange corner.

“But Oscar Piastri is still there as well, and he won’t be too happy at the moment either.”

The father of the reigning F1 world champion also hinted at perceived differences in the team’s equipment or setup, which could complicate any internal title battle.

“You can clearly see a difference between the two McLarens on track, how they go through the corners. One slides, the other doesn’t, and that raises questions,” he said.

• Read also: McLaren’s Stella apologises to Norris and Piastri for Vegas DSQ

Despite the close nature of the points, Jos remains optimistic about his son’s mentality heading into the final rounds in Qatar (which features a Sprint) and Abu Dhabi.

“In any case, it’s going to be an incredibly exciting end to the season, and for Max everything has to fall into place. But he still has nothing to lose and can go all-out. And he will.”

The message is clear: McLaren’s mistake has fired a massive warning shot, and Red Bull smells blood.

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