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.
German carmaker Audi has revealed its first Formula One car ahead of its full factory entry under the sport’s new 2026 rules, laying out a long-term target to fight for titles before the decade ends.
The car, called the Audi R26, was shown in Paris and introduces the brand’s first-ever single-seater. The livery carries a mostly grey finish, with Audi’s four rings highlighted in red on the rear wing. The team said the design aims to stand out visually while keeping a clean and restrained look.
Audi enters Formula One after taking over the Sauber operation, which will run under the Audi name from 2026. The transition keeps continuity on the driver side, with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto staying on after racing for Sauber last season.
Project head Mattia Binotto said the incoming technical regulations offered the right entry point for the brand, allowing Audi to build its programme around a clean-sheet rule set.
Team principal Jonathan Wheatley described the car as the product of years of work across Audi’s facilities, while stressing that the unveiling marks only the beginning. He said the focus now is on building habits, systems, and a competitive mindset that improve with every race weekend.
Like the rest of the grid, Audi’s new car will not make a public debut straight away. Initial running is scheduled for closed tests next week at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where teams will begin early validation work ahead of the 2026 season.
Audi becomes the latest major manufacturer to commit fully to Formula One, joining the championship at a time when new engine rules and sustainability targets are reshaping the sport’s long-term direction.
Mercedes has confirmed that chief designer John Owen will leave the Formula One team later this year, ending a long run at the Brackley-based outfit that dates back nearly two decades.
Owen, 52, joined the team in 2007 when it was still operating as Honda. He stayed through the dramatic transition to Brawn GP, which stunned the paddock by winning both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships in 2009. When the operation became the Mercedes Formula One Team, Owen remained a central figure in its technical structure.
During Mercedes’ dominant era from 2014 to 2021, the team secured seven drivers’ titles and eight constructors’ championships. Owen’s work in car design placed him among the key architects of that success.
Mercedes said Owen has decided to step away from Formula One and will begin a period of gardening leave later this year. The team added that he will remain involved during the transition period to ensure continuity.
His role as director of car design will be taken over by Giacomo Tortora, who currently serves as engineering director. Deputy technical director Simone Resta will oversee the design group as part of the restructuring.
The announcement comes as the Formula One season approaches. Pre-season testing begins next month in Bahrain Pre-Season Testing, ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 8.
Mercedes said Owen’s departure was amicable and acknowledged his long-standing contribution to the team’s competitive history.
Nasser Al-Attiyah sealed his sixth Dakar Rally car title in Yanbu on Saturday after a controlled final stage, while Argentina’s Luciano Benavides clinched the bike crown by two seconds in one of the closest finishes in recent memory.
Driving a Dacia, Al-Attiyah entered the final 105km stage with a comfortable buffer and avoided mistakes to finish ninth on the day, enough to secure overall victory by almost 10 minutes over Spain’s Nani Roma in a Ford. Roma’s teammate Mattias Ekstrom won the last stage and completed the overall car podium in third.
The win gave Al-Attiyah his sixth Dakar car title after previous victories in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022, and 2023. The 55-year-old also brought his career Dakar stage win total to 50 during the rally. Competing with Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin, he took control of the standings early and stayed clear of late drama.
“We’ve worked very hard since last year. I might not be showing much emotion yet, but it’s there. We are so happy to win,” Al-Attiyah said at the finish.
For Romanian manufacturer Dacia, the victory came at only its second Dakar attempt and delivered its first overall win in the event.
Al-Attiyah now sits alone in second place on the all-time Dakar car winners list, moving ahead of Ari Vatanen and Carlos Sainz, who both have four titles. Stephane Peterhansel remains the benchmark with eight car wins.
“This is my sixth victory. I still need to break Peterhansel’s record,” Al-Attiyah said.
Last year’s champion Yazeed Al Rajhi retired earlier in the rally due to mechanical problems.
In the bike category, Benavides secured his first Dakar title after finishing second on the final stage aboard a KTM, edging Honda rider Ricky Brabec by two seconds overall. Brabec, a two-time Dakar winner, lost time near the finish after taking a wrong line.
“I’ve dreamed of this moment my whole life,” Benavides said after the result was confirmed.
Brabec had been on course for a third title before the navigation error in the closing kilometers. Benavides said the opportunity appeared late in the stage and he committed when it mattered.
“Even yesterday it seemed impossible, but I still felt it could happen,” he said. “I saw the opening and I went for it.”
Spain’s Edgar Canet won the final bike stage, while Tosha Schareina finished third on the day and third overall.
The victory added another chapter to the Benavides family history at Dakar, following earlier wins by Luciano’s older brother Kevin.
“Nine years in the Dakar and my first win,” Benavides said. “My brother and I are making history. It’s a dream come true.”
