McLaren’s double disqualification at Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix has opened the door ajar for Max Verstappen in the 2025 title fight. In Qatar, Lando Norris can slam it shut again.
After a long stewards’ hearing on Saturday night, McLaren was finally excluded from the Las Vegas Grand Prix for excessive plank wear.
It was a minimal transgression – we’re talking tenths of a millimetre – but one with huge implications, as the result meant runaway Vegas winner Max Verstappen gained 25 points on both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Instead of trailing Norris by 42 points with 58 remaining, Verstappen suddenly finds himself less than a grand prix win behind – 24 points behind Norris, and level with Piastri.
“We apologise to Lando and Oscar for the loss of points today, at a critical time in their championship campaigns after two strong performances from them all weekend,» Andrea Stella stated in a press release.
«As a team, we also apologise to our partners and fans, whose support means so much. While this outcome is extremely disappointing, we remain fully focused on the last two races of the season.”
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photo by: Clive Mason / Getty Images
Getting its ride heights wrong was a huge, unforced error for McLaren, and even if there were mitigating circumstances on the bumpier-than-expected streets of Vegas, the fact remains no other top-10 car made the same mistake.
But while there’s certain to be an in-depth review at the Woking team into how it let its drivers down at the most critical point in the championship, there’s equally no reason to panic for the papaya brigade.
Had the incident happened before the Brazilian Grand Prix, when it was soundly beaten in Singapore, Austin and Mexico, then perhaps there would have been some anxiety over McLaren’s ability to keep Verstappen behind over Qatar’s sprint weekend and Abu Dhabi’s season finale.
But Brazil delivered an emphatic win for Norris, and while he was beaten from pole by Verstappen, Las Vegas was never going to be the MCL39’s best circuit, yet Norris still looked set for second.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
Qatar is a different story though. With its fast and flowing medium- to high-speed corners, the motorcycle circuit almost feels designed for its 2025 car. That’s not to say Norris and Piastri are set to score an easy 1-2, especially given the mandated 24-lap stint lengths that look set to keep the field on similar strategies.
But other than Verstappen, it seems doubtful that the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari will be able to put the McLarens under huge pressure. Barring issues or mistakes, Norris and Piastri should be at least in podium contention. But the team is fancying its chances to do much more than that.
No more room for error
The events of Las Vegas do mean McLaren has already played its joker card, and it won’t be able to make any more mistakes – nor will its drivers.
The 2024 event serves as a good reminder. Norris and Piastri took a 1-2 in the sprint, but then underperformed in qualifying and got beaten by Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Norris even took a harsh 10-second penalty for failing to slow sufficiently for yellow flags, which dropped him down to 10th. Ahead of Sunday’s nailed-on two-stop race, track position will be king, so neither driver can afford to start out of position.
In Piastri’s case, it feels like nothing has been going his way recently. He has struggled for pace compared to Norris, gotten involved in incidents – not all of his own making – and was unlucky with a yellow flag in Las Vegas qualifying.
After Saturday’s race the Australian admitted he needed «things outside of my control» to recover in the title race, which is still the case after the stewards’ verdict. Ironically, McLaren’s double DNF has allowed him to stay closer to the top of the table, but in Qatar he is still searching for his first podium in seven grands prix.
On the other hand, if pre-event expectations are confirmed, in-form Norris still has a match point that he can convert at the first time of asking. Outscoring Verstappen by two points across the sprint and grand prix will be enough to celebrate his first world championship. If he were to finish behind the Dutchman in both, he would still be in control in Abu Dhabi, even if the pressure would then rest on his shoulders rather than the four-time champion’s.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Bryn Lennon / Formula 1 via Getty Images
There have been doubts about Norris’ steel before, but having come back from his early season struggles to match Piastri and from a crippling retirement in Zandvoort into the championship lead, it feels like the 26-year-old has worked hard on his mental game and has answered most of those lingering questions.
Speaking before the Vegas weekend about how he approached his position as the championship favourite, he said he wouldn’t treat the title run-in any different as the rest of the season, which has yielded seven grand prix wins thus far: «What’s done me so well the last few weekends is by going flat, staying out of trouble, staying out of the chaos behind. It’s almost a safer bet in terms of pushing. So I think [playing it safe] is not the right mindset to have.
«I come here this weekend to try and win. I’ll go to Qatar to try and win. I still treat it as if I’m not in a championship – that’s the mentality I’ll have. For me, it’s another race weekend. Nothing changes because of whatever points I’ve got.»
Stranger things have happened in Formula 1 – especially at Abu Dhabi – so while Norris talks a good game, a potential title decider at Yas Marina is set to be a nervy affair.
But while the door is ajar for Verstappen, Norris holds all the cards to slam it shut again this weekend and avoid a showdown altogether.
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