Max Verstappen’s win at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Sunday took on added significance as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified after the race. Norris, who started the event with a 24-point lead over his McLaren teammate Piastri in the standings, now sees Verstappen closing in on him by 42 points following his triumph in Vegas.
The disqualification of both McLaren drivers has propelled Verstappen to tie for second place with Piastri, leaving Norris with a 24-point advantage with just two races remaining in the season, along with an additional sprint race.
Following the race, Norris and Piastri were summoned before the officials due to concerns raised by FIA technical chief Joe Bauer regarding the thickness of the skid block under their cars. Subsequent inspections revealed that the skid blocks did not meet the post-race regulations, leading to the annulment of their results.
Verstappen’s joy at overtaking Norris for the top spot was further amplified by the turn of events that saw both McLaren drivers penalized for the skid block issue. Meanwhile, Mercedes had reason to celebrate as George Russell was promoted to second place from his initial third-place finish in Vegas, with his teammate Kimi Antonelli climbing to third position.
As the season progresses, with only a limited number of points available, the focus now shifts to the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix and the final event in Abu Dhabi. Verstappen still requires Norris to drop significant points if he hopes to secure the championship. Nonetheless, the recent developments have injected a sense of optimism into his title aspirations.
In case Verstappen and Norris end up tied on points, a tiebreaker based on race wins will determine the champion, with Norris currently leading in that category. Despite Norris’s strong performances earlier in the season, Verstappen’s recent streak of podium finishes and victories has intensified the competition as the season draws to a close.
The race standings following the Las Vegas Grand Prix are as follows:
1. Lando Norris – McLaren (390)
2. Oscar Piastri – McLaren (366)
3. Max Verstappen – Red Bull (366)
4. George Russell – Mercedes (294)
5. Charles Leclerc – Ferrari (226)