Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have both been disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, in a stunning post-race moment that has blown the battle for the Formula 1 drivers’ championship wide open. 

Max Verstappen is now in striking distance of the championship lead after driving his Red Bull to a commanding win on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday (AEDT).

Norris had finished second and Piastri placed fourth, but both McLarens were disqualified after it was later deemed that the skid blocks on both cars were too thin.

Both McLaren drivers were summoned to the stewards after F1’s technical delegate, Jo Bauer, declared the thickness of the rear skid blocks on both cars was less than the minimum requirement of 9mm.

The skid blocks are part of the plank, which is attached to the floor of an F1 car, and regulates the height of the car off the ground.

The skid block is designed to prevent damage to the plank when the floor of the car brushes the ground.

The stewards deemed both McLaren cars had breached the technical regulations and disqualified Piastri and Norris.

F1 driver walking on the grid prior to a grand prix race at night

Lando Norris still holds a good lead in the F1 drivers’ championship, but Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen are within striking distance after the disqualification in Las Vegas. (Getty Images: Icon Sportswire/Jeff Speer)

According to the report from the governing FIA, McLaren argued the breach was less than previous instances this season, and it came due to unexpected porpoising (car bouncing) during the race.

While the stewards noted they believed McLaren did not intentionally try to break the rules, there was no choice but to disqualify both drivers. 

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were disqualified from the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix for the same reason.

Hamilton was also disqualified from this year’s Chinese Grand Prix for a skid block infringement.

The disqualifications mean Norris and Piastri do not score any points from Sunday’s race.

Norris leads the championship with 390 points, 24 ahead of Piastri on 366, the same as it was at the start of the weekend. 

But Verstappen’s win has now drawn him level with Piastri on 366 points, and within striking distance of Norris.

Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing lifts his trophy

Max Verstappen stormed to a terrific race win at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and is now in striking distance of the drivers’ championship lead. (Getty Images: Meg Oliphant)

It is a stunning turnaround for Verstappen, who was 104 points behind Piastri at the end of the Dutch Grand Prix, seven rounds ago.

With Norris and Piastri disqualified, Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli finished second and third. 

Russell battled Norris for much of the race, but struggled for pace in the final quarter of the grand prix.

Antonelli started 17th on the grid, committed a false start — for which he was handed a five-second penalty — and then made his hard compound tyres last 48 of 50 laps after pitting at the end of the second lap.

Antonelli finished fourth on the road, in front of Piastri, but had been relegated to fifth after the penalty.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was upgraded to fourth place, followed by Carlos Sainz (Williams), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber), Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari), Esteban Ocon (Haas) and Oliver Bearman (Haas).

Verstappen storms season-saving victory

Needing a win to keep his hopes of a five consecutive drivers’ championship alive, Verstappen pounced on an early mistake by pole sitter Lando Norris, converting it into the 69th grand prix win of his F1 career. 

Norris got off to a good start and immediately moved his car across the track to defend the first corner from Verstappen.

But Norris overshot the corner and ran wide, allowing Verstappen and Russell to pass. 

Verstappen needed to fend off an almighty challenge from Russell in the early laps, but once the sting was out of the Mercedes attack, Verstappen was in firm control. 

Russell and Norris engaged in a good battle for second, with Russell coming in much earlier for his pit stop than Norris.

But the McLaren had too much pace at the back end of the race to cross the line second, despite Norris nursing his car home over fears he would run out of fuel. 

“The car was working pretty well, much more to my liking,” Verstappen said.

“It was at the end quite a decent gap.”

Formula 1 heads to Qatar next weekend for the penultimate round of the season. 

Qatar will host a grand prix and a sprint race, with a maximum of 33 points a driver can score.

Re-live all the action of the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix in the blog below.

Key Events

5h ago5 hours agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:46am

5h ago5 hours agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:33am

5h ago5 hours agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:25am

Show all key events

4h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 6:50am

This concludes the F1 live blog

This is where we conclude our live digital coverage of the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen was brilliant, won the race, and kept his  title hopes alive.

There are two race weekends left in this season.

ABC Sport will be back next weekend for the Qatar Grand Prix.

We hope you join us then.

Goodbye.

4h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 6:25am

Oscar Piastri speaks about the title race

Here is what Piastri said about the final two weekends:

“I’m just going to go into the next two weeks trying to be as prepared as I can, and have the best weekends I can.

“It would be nice to get some good results on the board to finish the year, but the championship picture is what it is.”

4h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 6:16am

Oscar Piastri offers his thoughts after the race

Here is Oscar Piastri’s summary of the race today:

“I felt like I was one of the only people that actually braked to make the corner.

“I got barged out of the way — it is what it is.

“I think the rest of the race was eventful after that. A few too many mistakes.

“But from start to finish, [I] just felt like there were some tough moments through the race.

“It felt like there were good moments of pace. In clean air we were really quick, but [it was] difficult before I got the clean air and difficult after.”

5h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:46amNorris forgets he is on live television

Well. Anything can happen during live television.

Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and George Russell are being interviewed.

Speaking about overshooting the first corner and losing the lead, Norris jokingly said he was happy to let Verstappen have a win, before then saying, “I f***ed it up.”

A lovely, lighthearted moment.

David Coulthard wanted to continue the interview along that line, but it did not go so well.

Coulthard: “It was nice to see the little joke that you gave Max the opportunity to get the win. But Lando, just very briefly …”

Norris: “I didn’t. I said I f***ed it up.”

Oops.

5h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:42am

Verstappen speaks after winning in Vegas

Here are some comments from race winner Max Verstappen:

“It worked really well … normally the race is a tough one for us but today I unlocked some pace, could stay out longer and that helped a lot. The car was working well, much more to my liking.”

5h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:33amDrivers’ Championship standings after Las Vegas

Thanks for another great commentary, Michael. Great that we can have a daytime race for once.

– Greg from Tassie

Lando Norris, 408Oscar Piastri, 378 (-30)Max Verstappen, 366 (-42)5h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:25amMax Verstappen wins the Las Vegas Grand Prix

Max Verstappen has won the Las Vegas Grand Prix, keeping his slim championship hopes alive.

Lando Norris has crawled home in second, with George Russell finishing third.

Oscar Piastri is fourth. Kimi Antonelli crossed the line fourth but dropped to fifth with a five-second penalty for a false start.

Charles Lelcerc is sixth.

5h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:23am

49/50: Norris just nursing his car home

Max Verstappen has a 15-second lead.

Lando Norris is going slowly, just nursing some kind of issue.

George Russell is eight seconds behind Norris.

Piastri will finish fourth.

5h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:21am

Antonelli has done a great job for his Mercedes teammate

Mercedes driver George Russell is struggling in third.

He has fallen well off the pace of the leaders.

And if it wasn’t for his teammate, he may have been under pressure from Oscar Piastri.

Kimi Antonelli, who is running fourth but has a five-second penalty, has done a great job to halt Piastri and Charles Leclerc.

Piastri and Leclerc could have caught Russell, but they could not get in front of Antonelli due to an excellent defensive effort.

5h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:18amFive laps to go: Max Verstappen in control

Only a disaster will prevent Max Verstappen from winning this race.

It would be the 69th grand prix win of his career.

Oscar Piastri is on track to finish fourth, but Charles Leclerc is still pressing hard on the Australian.

5h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:14am43/50: Piastri stuck behind Antonelli

Oscar Piastri is in fifth, but in reality he is in fourth place because of the five-second penalty for Kimi Antonelli.

Piastri is under pressure from behind by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

6h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:10am

10 laps to go6h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:09am40/50: Verstappen holds his 5-second lead over Norris

Max Verstappen is in full control.

He leads Lando Norris by five seconds.

George Russell is a further six seconds behind.

Then there is an epic battle between Kimi Antonelli, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc for fourth place.

Antonelli has a five-second penalty.

6h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:07am

38/50: The battle for fourth heats up

Oscar Piastri has his rear wing open on the back straight.

But Antonelli is defending his position terrifically.

The young Italian holds the inside line and the Aussie cannot make the move on the outside.

Charles Leclerc is now on the rear wing of Piastri.

6h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:05am

37/50: Piastri is catching Antonelli for fourth place

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli pitted around lap 3.

He is trying to pull off an audacious strategy.

He is fourth, but Oscar Piastri is catching.

Piastri really needs to pass the young Italian and put a gap between him and Charles Leclerc.

A reminder, Antonelli has a five-second penalty for a false start.

6h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:02am35/50: Max Verstappen leads by five seconds

It is Max Verstappen vs Lando Norris for the win.

Verstappen has a five-second lead and tyres that have done three fewer laps.

But Lando Norris has been very quick in the second half of this race.

6h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 5:00am34/50: Lando Norris is up to second place

Lando Norris is on the rear wing of George Russell.

Norris opens the rear wing on the back straight, and the McLaren driver flies by.

Norris can now set his sights on Max Verstappen and the race win.

6h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 4:59am

33/50: Norris is catching Russell for second

Lando Norris is the fastest driver on the circuit.

The McLaren driver is catching George Russell at a rate of knots in the battle for second.

Max Verstappen leads by four seconds.

6h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 4:57am

32/50: Piastri being chased by Leclerc

Oscar Piastri is in fifth.

He is chasing Kimi Antonelli, who is fourth, and pitted on the second lap.

Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is catching Piastri.

This battle for fourth is spicy.

6h agoSun 23 Nov 2025 at 4:54am

29/50: Verstappen leads, Piastri trying to fight

Max Verstappen leads by 2.7 seconds over George Russell.

Lando Norris is third, and the championship leader is quick.

Oscar Piastri is sixth, with Hulkenberg (4th) needing to pit, and Antonelli (fifth) not required to pit, but it would be stunning if he could drive 48 laps on the hard tyres.

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