Verstappen Wins in Las Vegas, but the Drama Continues
Max Verstappen conquered his second victory in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, keeping his hopes alive in the championship. The Dutch driver surpassed Lando Norris, who initially secured second place, in a race full of unexpected twists.
However, the excitement didn’t end there. In a dramatic turn of events, Norris was disqualified by the stewards, along with his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, due to illegal wear on the car’s underfloor.
The decision, announced five hours after the race, intensified the pressure on McLaren. Verstappen tied Piastri in points, while Norris’s lead was reduced to 24 points.
With a maximum of 58 points available in the two remaining races, including a sprint race at next week’s Qatar Grand Prix, the competition intensifies.Max Verstappen, a la izquierda, en el podio con su ingeniero de carrera, Gianpiero Lambiase. El piloto neerlandés logró su victoria número 69 y la sexta de la temporada.Verstappen dominated the Las Vegas race, winning by almost 21 seconds, while Norris experienced problems with his car towards the end of the competition. Norris’ disqualification benefited the Mercedes drivers, George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who moved up to the podium.
Piastri finished in a distant fourth position, extending his streak without surpassing Norris, which dates back to his victory at the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August.
Verstappen, after a complicated start to the season, has resurfaced strongly, consolidating his position with four victories in the last seven races. The Dutch driver took control of the race on the first lap, overtaking Norris and Russell.
Despite a brief period in which Russell was in Verstappen’s DRS range, his lead never seemed to be in danger. Late problems on Norris’s car allowed Russell to get closer, although without success.
Piastri, who started fifth, could have had a better opportunity if his start had been more favorable. The Australian driver avoided an incident on the first lap after being hit by Liam Lawson.
At one point, Piastri was in seventh position, but a strategically timed pit stop and a five-second penalty for a jump start for Andrea Kimi Antonelli allowed him to move up to fourth position before being disqualified.
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari finished sixth (now fourth) behind Antonelli. Although Lewis Hamilton, also of Ferrari, advanced from the back of the grid to tenth position (now eighth), it was another disappointing weekend for the team in what many predicted would be their last chance to get a win in 2025.
Carlos Sainz, from Williams, finished seventh (now fifth), ahead of Isack Hadjar, from Racing Bulls, and Nico Hülkenberg, from Sauber.
