2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix

Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen claimed victory at the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 22, 2025, held on the Las Vegas street circuit, making a strong move in the championship race.

Race Summary

• Lando Norris started from pole but lost the lead to Verstappen in the first corner. Verstappen maintained the lead throughout and crossed the finish line first.

• After the race, McLaren’s drivers Lando Norris (initially second) and Oscar Piastri (initially fourth) were disqualified due to their cars’ skid blocks measuring below the 9 mm minimum requirement.

• Official results after disqualification:

  1. Max Verstappen

  2. George Russell (Mercedes)

  3. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)

  4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

  5. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

Impact on the Championship

• Norris losing his second-place finish significantly weakened his championship lead.

• Verstappen not only won the race but also gained a major advantage as his rivals lost points.

• The championship standings tightened: Norris still leads, but only by 24 points over Piastri and Verstappen, with 58 points still available in the last two races.

Technical and Team Issues

• McLaren issued an official apology, admitting the technical violation was a significant mistake.

• The team cited harsher-than-expected track conditions and “porpoising” causing skid block wear. Despite the explanation, the disqualification was unavoidable.

Significance

• This result reopened the championship battle. Norris went from a seemingly safe lead to a position requiring careful management.

• Verstappen’s title hopes, once seeming slim, became much more realistic.

• Technical compliance and adherence to rules can be just as decisive as speed, strategy, and skill in determining the outcome of a season.

Conclusion

The Las Vegas night race was not just a victory—it highlighted how a team’s technical decisions and oversight can reshape a championship. In Formula 1, speed on track, strategic skill, and rule compliance together decide the fate of a season