When Max Verstappen crossed the finish line under the neon glow of the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday night, he didn’t just win a race — he rewrote the championship narrative. The 27-year-old Dutch driver, racing for Oracle Red Bull Racing, claimed his sixth victory of the 2025 season at the 2025 Formula 1 Heineken Las Vegas Grand PrixLas Vegas Strip Circuit — a race that ended not with celebration, but with controversy. Just hours after the checkered flag, McLaren Racing saw both its lead drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, disqualified for technical violations. The move sent shockwaves through the paddock and catapulted Verstappen into a dead heat with Piastri in the standings — just 24 points behind Norris, with only two races left.
From Pole to Penalty: How the Race Unfolded
The night began with Lando Norris on pole, the crowd roaring as the lights dimmed and the field roared down the famous Strip. But Turn 1 changed everything. Norris ran wide, surrendering the lead to Verstappen before the first corner was even cleared. By lap five, Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari was already clawing his way up the order, making a crucial pass on Piastri that left the Australian visibly frustrated on team radio. "He’s got no grip," Piastri radioed, his tires graining badly under the relentless heat of the asphalt and the artificial lights. Verstappen, meanwhile, was in cruise control. He set the fastest lap of the race — his third DHL Fastest Lap Award of the season — and never looked back. Behind him, the battle for second turned into a war. George Russell of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team held off Kimi Antonelli, his own teammate, in a tense duel that ended with Antonelli crossing the line in fourth — only to be penalized five seconds for an unsafe release during his pit stop. That dropped him to fifth, handing the position to Piastri… temporarily.The Disqualification That Changed Everything
Post-race scrutineering revealed that both McLaren cars had exceeded the allowed underbody flex limits — a violation of Article 3.15 of the FIA Technical Regulations. The team had pushed the boundaries of aerodynamic efficiency all season, and in Las Vegas, the cost was catastrophic. Norris, who had led 17 laps and looked poised to win his first race of the year, was stripped of his third-place finish. Piastri, who had battled Leclerc wheel-to-wheel for over ten laps, lost his fourth-place result entirely. "It’s devastating," said McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella in a terse post-race press conference. "We believed we were within the limits. The data we submitted was reviewed by our engineers and the FIA’s own simulation tools. We’re appealing, but we’re not making excuses. This hurts more than any race loss." The disqualifications didn’t just cost McLaren points — they cost them momentum. With only two races left — in Abu Dhabi and then the season finale in Brazil — the team’s chances of securing second in the Constructors’ Championship now hang by a thread.Verstappen’s Momentum, Norris’s Burden
For Verstappen, the win was more than a podium. It was a psychological turning point. He now sits level with Piastri on 278 points and trails Norris by just 24 — the narrowest gap he’s had since the Spanish Grand Prix in May. "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," he joked over team radio after the race — a line that quickly went viral. But the truth is, he’s not joking about the title fight anymore. Norris, meanwhile, is now the hunted. He leads the championship, but with Verstappen closing in and Red Bull’s reliability unmatched, the pressure is mounting. "I’m not panicking," Norris told reporters. "But I know what’s at stake. We’ve got two races to fix this. And we will." The irony? Norris’s pole position was the result of a flawless qualifying lap — but in F1, one mistake, one technical misstep, and it all unravels. The disqualifications have turned what was shaping up as a Norris-vs-Verstappen duel into a three-way thriller.The Ripple Effect: Who Benefits?
With McLaren out of the top three, the door swings wide open. George Russell now sits in third in the Drivers’ Championship — just 11 points behind Norris — and could realistically challenge for second if he wins both remaining races. Even Charles Leclerc, who finished sixth on track but now sits seventh in the standings, has renewed hope. His Ferrari, long out of title contention, suddenly has momentum. And then there’s the rookie factor. Kimi Antonelli, just 22, showed he belongs in the top tier. His speed on worn tires was astonishing — and his penalty, while costly, was a reminder of how thin the margin is between brilliance and blunder.
What’s Next? The Final Two Races
The season now hinges on Abu Dhabi and Interlagos. Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit favors high-downforce cars — a strength of Red Bull. But Interlagos, with its bumpy surface and unpredictable weather, is a wild card. If Verstappen wins both, he’ll clinch his fourth world title. If Norris wins one and Verstappen stumbles? The title could go down to the final lap in Brazil. McLaren’s appeal is expected to be heard by the FIA International Tribunal by December 5. If overturned, the standings revert — but most insiders believe the evidence is solid. "The flex was measurable," said former FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting’s successor, Claire Williams, in an exclusive interview. "It wasn’t a borderline call. It was a clear breach."Historical Context: When Disqualifications Changed Championships
This isn’t the first time a post-race penalty altered a title race. In 2007, Lewis Hamilton lost points at the Chinese Grand Prix for impeding Kimi Räikkönen, costing him the title by one point. In 2021, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton collided in Abu Dhabi — a race that ended with a controversial late safety car and a title win for Verstappen. But this? This is different. Two drivers from the same team, disqualified on the same technicality, in the same race — and it happens in the penultimate round. It’s the kind of chaos F1 fans dream of. And for Verstappen? It’s the break he needed.Frequently Asked Questions
How did the McLaren cars violate technical regulations?
The FIA found that both McLaren MCL39 cars exceeded allowable underbody flex limits — a violation of Article 3.15 of the Technical Regulations. This rule prevents teams from gaining aerodynamic advantage by allowing the floor to bend under high downforce, which can increase airflow efficiency. Sensors detected flex beyond the permitted 10mm tolerance, confirmed by both trackside and lab analysis.
What does this mean for the Constructors’ Championship?
McLaren Racing’s disqualification cost them 38 points — 18 for Norris and 20 for Piastri. That drops them from 512 to 474 points, now trailing Red Bull by 58 points with only 50 available in the final two races. Red Bull’s lead is now insurmountable, while Ferrari (428 points) and Mercedes (395) are locked in a tight battle for second. McLaren’s chance of finishing second is now near zero.
Can Verstappen still win the title if he doesn’t win the next two races?
Yes. With only 24 points separating him from Norris, Verstappen needs just one win and one second-place finish — or two third-place finishes — to overtake Norris if he doesn’t score maximum points. Even a single DNF for Norris would open the door. The title is now mathematically possible for Verstappen even if he finishes fourth in Abu Dhabi, as long as Norris scores fewer than 17 points across the final two races.
Why was Kimi Antonelli penalized, and how did it affect the standings?
Antonelli received a five-second penalty for an unsafe release during his pit stop — his rear wheel wasn’t fully secured before the car was sent out. He crossed the line in fourth but was demoted to fifth. Without the penalty, he’d have passed Piastri and finished fourth, which would have moved him ahead of Leclerc in the standings. Instead, he remains seventh in the Drivers’ Championship, just behind Leclerc.
Has this happened before in Formula 1?
Yes — but never in the penultimate race with both drivers from the same team disqualified. In 2019, Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was disqualified from the German GP for a fuel flow violation. In 2009, Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello lost a win due to a technical infringement. But never have two drivers from a top-three team been stripped of their results in the same race with the title on the line. This is unprecedented in the modern era.
What’s next for McLaren Racing?
McLaren has filed an appeal with the FIA International Tribunal, which will convene by December 5. In the meantime, they’ve suspended their aerodynamic development team pending review. The team is also reviewing its entire floor design philosophy, which has been under scrutiny since the 2024 season. Their 2026 car will likely feature a completely redesigned underbody to avoid similar issues.
