Norris and Piastri Disqualified in Vegas, Verstappen Seizes Victory
The 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix delivered drama and controversy as Lando Norris and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri were disqualified after the race for technical infringements, handing Max Verstappen a dominant win. Both McLaren cars were found to have skid blocks worn below the minimum depth allowed by regulations, a key safety and performance rule designed to prevent the cars from running too low. This unexpected turn of events reshuffled the race results and kept the F1 championship fight wide open heading into the final rounds.
Norris, who had finished second on track behind Verstappen, had led most of the race with strong pace and strategic driving, but a small misjudgment at the first corner allowed Verstappen to take the lead. George Russell also capitalized on the opening laps, moving ahead of Norris before the McLaren driver fought back to reclaim second. Despite a late-race technical issue with his skid blocks, Norris managed to maintain his gap over Russell, demonstrating the skill and composure expected from a title contender.
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Oscar Piastri, meanwhile, faced an even tougher race. After being bumped by Liam Lawson at the start, the young Australian was forced into a fight for positions further down the field. He battled with Isack Hadjar and Charles Leclerc, trying to recover lost ground, but ultimately could not challenge for a podium. His disqualification, like Norris’s, removed him from the official results, though it left him in contention in the championship standings, 24 points behind his teammate.
McLaren explained that the excessive wear on their skid blocks was caused by porpoising, a high-frequency bouncing of the car due to aerodynamic disturbances, compounded by minor accidental damage during the race. The team emphasized that there was no deliberate attempt to break the rules, but the FIA deemed the cars non-compliant, resulting in the disqualifications.
For Verstappen, the outcome was a huge boost. The Red Bull driver executed a near-perfect race, taking the lead at Turn 1, controlling his pace, and eventually finishing 20 seconds ahead of the field. His victory keeps him in contention for the championship, though Norris remains in the lead going into the Qatar Grand Prix. With 58 points still available across the final two races, the battle for the 2025 World Championship is far from over.
The disqualifications also elevated Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli onto the Vegas podium, giving the team a double points finish and strengthening their position in the Constructors’ Championship. Other notable performances included Charles Leclerc, who moved up to fourth after a calculated and aggressive drive, and Lewis Hamilton, who recovered well from a poor qualifying session to score points in challenging conditions.
As F1 now shifts focus to Qatar for the penultimate race of the season, all eyes will be on Norris, Piastri, and Verstappen, with strategies, reliability, and composure set to decide who takes the ultimate prize in Abu Dhabi. The Las Vegas GP may be remembered as a thrilling race of skill, strategy, and controversy that could well shape the final outcome of the 2025 title fight.
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