The Las Vegas Grand Prix delivered a clean start and a predictable finish before everything flipped. Max Verstappen took control early, jumped ahead from P2, and held the lead through the night to score another win. At first, McLaren looked like it had done enough to keep both of its drivers in the Championshiip points and maintain a strong position in the battle for the drivers crown.
That changed when FIA stewards announced that both McLaren cars failed a technical inspection. What looked like a routine result instantly turned into a major shift in the standings. Norris lost second place and Piastri lost fourth, setting up a tighter, more unpredictable run into the final two rounds in Qatar and Dubai.
Verstappen’s win and the championship picture
Verstappen’s win in Las Vegas kept him in striking distance of the season title. The reigning champion controlled the race from the opening laps, taking advantage of a strong launch and an early pass that allowed him to manage the pace from the front. Before the disqualifications, Norris finished second and Piastri took fourth, keeping the championship margin stable even with Verstappen’s win.
Once the FIA ruling went into effect, the standings shifted. Norris stayed in the lead with 390 points, but Piastri’s drop erased his advantage over Verstappen. Both now sit at 366 points heading into the final stretch. With 58 total points still available across Qatar and Dubai, the title fight is tight enough that any of the three could realistically close it out. The only guarantee is that the final weekends will decide it, especially if the top contenders keep trading wins.
Why the FIA disqualified both McLaren cars
The FIA decision centered on excessive wear to the plank attached to the bottom of each McLaren. The plank helps ensure the car maintains minimum ground clearance, which is a safety requirement and a key part of Formula 1’s technical regulations. If the plank wears below the allowed thickness, it signals that the car ran too low.
McLaren said the wear came from unexpected bouncing on the Las Vegas circuit, but the rules do not allow intent or circumstances to influence compliance. The FIA confirmed the violation and applied an automatic disqualification. The ruling removed both cars from the final classification, reshaping the Las Vegas results and tightening the championship race heading into the final two rounds.
Automobile Magazine-UK
