Verstappen Wins Las Vegas GP as Norris and Piastri Disqualified, Championship Battle Intensifies

Max Verstappen triumphs at the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, but McLaren’s Norris and Piastri are disqualified post-race. See how the dramatic outcome reshapes the F1 championship fight with only two races remaining.

At the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix last weekend, Max Verstappen claimed a dramatic victory, but the race’s aftermath rocked the championship standings with the disqualification of both McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Verstappen crossed the line first, followed by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, but Norris and Piastri, who had originally finished second and fourth respectively, were disqualified after their cars failed post-race technical inspections due to excessive skid block wear.

Norris had a strong race but lost out to Verstappen and Russell at the start and later reclaimed second place on track before the penalty. Piastri dropped positions early and finished fourth but was later disqualified alongside Norris. The McLaren team explained that the disqualification resulted from excessive “porpoising” and skid block wear caused by the uneven Las Vegas circuit, despite efforts to manage the issue during the race. Both drivers had been warned during the race to ease off to protect their cars, with Norris admitting he expected the possibility of disqualification due to the way he drove.

BREAKING: Both McLaren cars of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix
This is because the thickness of the rearmost skid of both cars was less than the required thickness#F1 #LasVegasGP pic.twitter.com/gOplpgDHl7
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 23, 2025

This double disqualification significantly tightened the 2025 championship race. Before the penalty, Norris led the championship by 30 points over Piastri and 42 points over Verstappen. After the penalty, the lead has shrunk to just 24 points over Piastri, who is now tied with Verstappen in points, setting up a thrilling battle for the title in the final races. George Russell’s elevation to second place in Las Vegas also strengthens Mercedes’ position in the constructors’ championship, with Mercedes securing a double podium after the McLaren penalty. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fourth and Carlos Sainz fifth, adding to the mixed fortunes for the top teams.

2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix Final Results (Post-Disqualification)

1st: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2nd: George Russell (Mercedes)
3rd: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
4th: Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5th: Carlos Sainz (Williams)

Championship Standings Impact

Lando Norris (McLaren): 390 points
Oscar Piastri (McLaren): 366 points
Max Verstappen (Red Bull): 366 points

The disqualification has made the championship fight even more intense heading into the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix. Norris still leads but will face more pressure with Verstappen and Piastri now tied on points and fiercely contesting the title to the very end.