Verstappen wins in Las Vegas, while McLaren faces disqualification

The 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, initially planned as a spectacular show, turned into one of the most discussed rounds of the season.

Max Verstappen’s victory seemed like a natural result of a confident race, but the main storyline unfolded after the Grand Prix had finished. Both McLaren drivers were disqualified result after post-race checks. This could become a key moment in the title battle.

The weekend as a whole was quite unstable. Each session had a different leader. Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris topped Friday’s practice, while George Russell was fastest on Saturday.

There was particular anticipation for qualifying, but an hour before the start heavy rain began to pour. The track was completely flooded. Many expected numerous crashes and red flags, but the session went by without incidents.

Championship leader Lando Norris won qualifying in Las Vegas, taking his seventh pole of the season and the 16th of his career. Max Verstappen set the second-fastest time, securing a front-row start — critically important in his fight with his main rival. George Russell qualified third.

At the start of the race, Norris made a mistake, allowing Verstappen and Russell to pass. The opening lap was filled with incidents. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) crashed into Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), eliminating both drivers from the race. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) made a false start and received a five-second penalty.

The Dutchman defended against Russell’s attacks at the start, withstood the pressure during the opening laps, and after the pit stops confidently controlled the pace. No one could get close to Verstappen, who secured his sixth win of the season and the 69th of his career.

Lando Norris finished second, overtaking Russell on lap 34, when the Briton began experiencing issues.

Interestingly, the Las Vegas track had not suited McLaren at all last year. In 2025, things looked completely different. The team had an excellent weekend: Norris started from the front row, fought for the lead, confidently overtook Russell, and finished second. Piastri also looked competitive.

But the joy was short-lived. After the race, technical inspection revealed a critical violation. The rearmost skid wear on both McLaren machines was found to be below the minimum 9mm thickness by technical delegates on inspection. Norris and Piastri were disqualified.

For McLaren, this is a major blow to Norris’s championship hopes. Losing second place could cost him dearly. In the drivers’ standings, he leads his teammate Piastri and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen by 24 points.

Due to McLaren’s disqualifications, the podium looked different from what viewers saw at the finish line. George Russell was promoted to second place, and Kimi Antonelli took third, gaining an unexpected bonus.