Motorsports
Vegas Fallout
Max Verstappen put on a dominant display at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday, taking a commanding win that suddenly tightened the Formula One title fight. The race result took a dramatic turn hours later when stewards disqualified both McLarens of championship leader Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri for illegal skid block wear.
Norris originally crossed the line in second place and Piastri finished fourth, but post-race checks showed the skid blocks on both cars were below the minimum thickness. The penalties reshuffled the championship picture with two rounds left in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
The revised standings now place Verstappen level with Piastri and only 24 points behind Norris. With a maximum of 58 points still available, Norris can still seal his first world title next weekend, but only if he outscored his two rivals by at least two points in Qatar.
Norris admitted the setback stung. “It’s frustrating to lose so many points,” he said in a McLaren statement. “We didn’t get the balance right today. Nothing I can do about it now, so my full focus goes to Qatar.”
Team principal Andrea Stella said the issue came from “unexpected, high levels of porpoising” that caused excessive wear. “We apologise to Lando and Oscar at a crucial moment in their championship fight,” he added.
Verstappen’s win was built from the start. When pole-sitter Norris slid wide at Turn 1, the Red Bull driver grabbed the lead and controlled the race from there. He later credited a strong tyre strategy. “Normally races like this are tough for us, but today we were more in control. I could push more and extend my first stint,” he said.
He finished more than 20 seconds clear to claim his 69th career victory, saying he felt “comfortable” throughout the race as the car handled the Las Vegas street circuit better than expected.
Mercedes benefited the most from McLaren’s disqualification. George Russell was promoted to second place, while teammate Kimi Antonelli moved up to third.
The race itself ran smoothly after Friday’s chaotic qualifying session, where heavy rain left drivers comparing the slippery track to ice. At lights out, Norris attempted to defend aggressively but ended up running off the track, dropping behind Russell. Piastri also struggled early, clashing wheels with Liam Lawson’s RB as he tried to recover lost ground.
McLaren’s setback isn’t unprecedented. Similar skid block violations have hit other teams in recent seasons. Russell was disqualified from a win in Belgium last year, while Lewis Hamilton has been penalised twice, including once at the US Grand Prix in 2023. Hamilton was also disqualified earlier this season after the Chinese Grand Prix, this time with Ferrari.
With Qatar up next and the championship suddenly wide open, the final sprint of the season just became far more unpredictable.
Abu Dhabi is set for a nerve-testing finish as Lando Norris steps into the biggest race of his career. Holding a slim 12-point lead heading into Sunday’s finale, the McLaren driver knows a podium would seal his first Formula 1 world title. But momentum sits firmly with Max Verstappen, who has clawed his way back into contention with five wins in his last eight races.
McLaren arrives at the Yas Marina Circuit under pressure after a difficult stretch. The team’s misjudged pit call in Qatar allowed Verstappen to snatch a win despite Oscar Piastri topping every session that weekend. Two weeks earlier, both McLaren cars were disqualified in Las Vegas for excessive plank wear. Those setbacks reopened the door for Verstappen, who has spent the past month capitalizing on every mistake with near-perfect drives.
Piastri remains the dark horse in this three-way fight. Sixteen points behind Norris, he needs a win or second place plus some luck, but his strong form in Qatar has revived confidence. The Australian, managed by former F1 driver Mark Webber, is also chasing history as the first champion from his country since Alan Jones in 1980.
History adds another layer to this showdown. The last time more than two drivers arrived at the final race with a shot at the title was in 2010, when Sebastian Vettel surged from third in the standings to take the crown while rivals faltered. Norris knows this well. Although the McLaren has been the strongest car for much of the year, the team’s recent missteps have given Verstappen more than enough reason to believe he can equal Michael Schumacher’s run of five straight championships.
All three title contenders have seven wins apiece this season, with Mercedes’ George Russell taking the other two. McLaren locked up the constructors’ championship early and eased development, helping Red Bull close the gap and giving this finale its razor-thin margins.
Norris has kept his approach calm, crediting his team for the season’s success and vowing to give everything in the final push. Verstappen’s job is clear he must win and hope Norris finishes fourth or lower. Piastri’s path is narrower but still alive.
Around them, storylines continue. Mercedes hopes to grab second in the constructors’ race ahead of Red Bull. Yuki Tsunoda prepares for his final drive with the team before handing his seat to rookie Isack Hadjar. And Lewis Hamilton, a five-time winner in Abu Dhabi, aims to avoid ending his season without a podium.
After a year of unpredictable swings, three drivers arrive with a shot at the crown. Norris may have the advantage on paper, but under the lights of Yas Marina, nothing is guaranteed.
Max Verstappen kept his championship hopes alive after powering to victory at the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday, tightening the three-way title fight heading into the final race of the season.
Starting behind the two McLarens, Verstappen jumped Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris off the line and never looked back, even as strategy calls shaped the drama under the Lusail floodlights. Red Bull chose to bring Verstappen in during a safety car period, a move that proved decisive as McLaren opted to keep both drivers out.
Piastri, who had started from pole, admitted the team missed an opportunity. He pushed hard to close the gap but settled for second, while championship leader Norris could manage only fourth. Carlos Sainz delivered a strong late run to take third for Williams.
Verstappen’s win pushed him ahead of Piastri in the standings and placed him just 12 points behind Norris heading into next weekend’s season finale. With Piastri now 16 points off his teammate, all three remain in mathematical contention for the crown.
The Dutchman knows the pressure of a final-race shootout well, having sealed the 2021 title in dramatic fashion against Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi. After Sunday’s result, he said the team executed perfectly when it mattered most. “We made the right call to box under that safety car,” he said. “It was a strong race for us on a tough weekend.”
With all eyes now on the last race of the season, the championship remains wide open.
Indonesia’s Andika Rama returned to the top of Asian sim racing after ruling the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Asia eSports GT Championship 2025 in Bangkok. The three-race finale gathered 15 of the region’s best drivers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Rama, who first lifted the crown in 2023, finished the weekend with 74 points to secure the individual title. His teammate Moreno Pratama followed with 62, while Malaysia’s Chong Kai Chang grabbed third with 59. Their combined performance also pushed Indonesia to the Country Championship win with 169 points, ahead of Malaysia and Singapore.
Action kicked off at Suzuka, the only wet race on the calendar. Heavy rain forced drivers to manage tires carefully, turning the event into a battle of patience and reflexes. Rama snatched the win late after a tight scrap with Pratama and Chong. The second leg at Interlagos introduced the championship’s first-ever team format, where Malaysia’s trio executed clean driver swaps and strategy to take victory.
The final race at Watkins Glen brought the closest gaps. Singapore’s Fadtris Isa briefly chased Rama for the lead before the Indonesian driver regained control and sealed his second win of the night. Pratama made it an Indonesian one-two, with Chong storming from seventh to third.
Team Philippines ended fourth overall, with Enzo Ison delivering the nation’s best result in eighth place. Matthew Ang and Victor Ancheta followed in 13th and 14th.
