Verstappen Wins Las Vegas GP as Norris and Piastri DQ’d for Plank Violation

Max Verstappen crossed the finish line first at the 2025 Las Vegas Grand PrixLas Vegas Strip — but he didn’t win by a second. He won because the two drivers who finished ahead of him got booted. On Saturday night, under the neon glow of the Strip, Verstappen drove a flawless 49-lap masterclass for Oracle Red Bull Racing, only to be handed the victory hours later when McLaren Racing’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified for excessive plank wear. The decision, confirmed by the FIA scrutineers at 12:17 a.m. local time, turned a McLaren podium sweep into a historic collapse — and handed Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team its first 1-2 finish of the season.

What Happened on the Track?

Norris started from pole, but Verstappen was off like a rocket. By Turn 3, he’d already taken the lead. The Dutchman didn’t look back. He led every lap except one — the pit stop sequence that briefly handed him second — and never once let the gap to Norris slip beyond 1.8 seconds. Meanwhile, Piastri ran a clean, aggressive race behind him, holding off George Russell until the final laps. At the checkered flag, the order was Norris, Piastri, Russell — a dream result for McLaren. But the FIA’s post-race inspection revealed both McLaren MP4/40s had worn their skid blocks beyond the 1mm legal limit. The plank, a wooden composite strip under the car’s floor, is designed to ensure cars don’t run too low and generate illegal downforce. Excessive wear? That’s a sign of aerodynamic cheating. Or at least, that’s what the stewards decided.

The Disqualification That Changed Everything

It’s rare. It’s brutal. And it hasn’t happened to a team in a double DQ since Australia 2007. McLaren had led the Drivers’ Championship with Norris 24 points ahead of Verstappen. Now? Verstappen and Piastri are tied at 312 points, while Norris drops to 288. The title fight, which looked like a two-horse race, is now a three-way brawl with just two races left: Qatar Grand PrixLusail and Abu Dhabi Grand PrixYas Island. And here’s the twist: Norris didn’t just lose points. He lost momentum. The psychological blow of being disqualified after leading the race — after leading the championship — is massive. McLaren’s technical director, Andy Cowell, called the plank wear “an unexpected anomaly,” but admitted the team had “overestimated tire degradation” and “misjudged the track’s abrasive surface.”

Mercedes’ Unexpected Breakthrough

George Russell, who finished fourth on track, inherited second. Kimi Antonelli, the 19-year-old F1 rookie, climbed from fifth to third — and delivered the performance of his life. He ran a 48-lap stint on hard tires, fending off Piastri for 12 laps while managing brake temperatures in 15°C desert air. “I didn’t think I’d be on the podium,” Antonelli said, smiling. “I thought I’d be lucky to finish.” His pace was so strong, some analysts questioned whether Russell’s Mercedes was underperforming. The Race noted Russell’s telemetry showed “slightly inconsistent steering inputs,” possibly due to a minor sensor glitch. But Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff dismissed speculation: “George drove a perfect race. Kimi drove like a veteran. We’re just happy to be here.”

Williams’ Quiet Rise

While McLaren collapsed, Williams Racing quietly climbed. Carlos Sainz, who started third on a wet grid, finished fifth — his 18th points finish in 21 races this season. His teammate Alex Albon retired after a high-speed collision with Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari on Lap 14. Sainz now leads Albon 218 to 102 in the Drivers’ standings. That gap is the key reason Williams is now 12 points clear of BWT Alpine F1 Team in the Constructors’ Championship. “We didn’t win,” said Sainz. “But we kept moving forward. That’s what matters.”

Chaos, Collisions, and Rookie Mistakes

The opening lap was pure mayhem. Three cars were out before Turn 2. Gabriel Bortoleto, the 19-year-old Kick Sauber rookie, clipped Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin, sending both into the wall. Bortoleto, who’d impressed in Silverstone’s rookie test, accepted a five-place grid penalty for Qatar. “Five metres earlier,” he said, “I’d have stopped the car.” Stroll, ever the gentleman, shrugged: “He’s a good kid. Didn’t mean it.”

Lewis Hamilton, starting from P20 after a qualifying hiccup, clawed back to P10 on hard tires — a strategy few expected to work. Nico Hülkenberg, his Kick Sauber teammate, did the same, finishing ninth. Both used the white-banded C4 compound to stretch their stints — a tactic that paid off in the low-grip conditions. Meanwhile, Pierre Gasly’s Alpine spun at Turn 1 on the opening lap, facing the wrong way. He recovered to finish 15th. Liam Lawson, driving for AlphaTauri, retired after a first-lap crash with a stray debris piece. It was that kind of night.

What This Means for the Championship

Verstappen now has 312 points. Piastri, 312. Norris, 288. Ferrari sits 127 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ standings — effectively out of the title fight. But the real battle is for second. Williams is in fifth, Alpine in sixth, and Aston Martin in seventh. The gap between fifth and seventh? Just 17 points. Every finish matters. Every DQ changes history.

Red Bull now has 98 constructor wins — and the title is within reach. But they didn’t win this race on speed. They won because McLaren made a mistake. A costly, season-altering mistake.

Behind the Numbers

• Verstappen’s 67th career win — his 11th of 2025
• McLaren’s first double DQ since 2007
• Las Vegas circuit: 6.120 km, 17 corners, 15°C ambient
• Antonelli’s 48-lap hard tire stint — longest of the race
• Sainz: 18 points finishes in 21 races; Albon: 12
• 48 points remain: 24 in Qatar, 24 in Abu Dhabi