Max Verstappen crossed the finish line first at the 2025 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix, but the real story wasn’t on the track—it was in the stewards’ room. Just hours after the checkered flag fell on November 22, 2025, both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri of McLaren were disqualified for excessive plank wear, turning a podium finish into a championship earthquake. The race, held along The Las Vegas Strip, had already delivered drama: Verstappen seized the lead early after Norris locked up at Turn 1, and George Russell of Mercedes clawed his way to second. But when the official results dropped, the top three became Verstappen, Kimi Antonelli of Scuderia Ferrari, and Carlos Sainz of Williams Racing. The twist? Verstappen now sits level with Piastri in the standings—just 24 points behind championship leader Lewis Hamilton, with two races left.
The Race That Changed Everything
It was a night of glitter and grit on the Strip, where the 6.201-kilometer circuit weaved past the Bellagio fountains and Caesars Palace. Verstappen clocked a race time of 1:21:08.429 over 50 laps, earning his sixth win of the 2025 season and his second straight in Las Vegas. His fastest lap—1:33.365—was his third DHL Fastest Lap Award of the year. But the real tension came from the midfield. Norris, who’d qualified second, misjudged his braking into Turn 1 on the opening lap, allowing Verstappen to slip by. He later admitted, “I braked too late. It was my f-up.”
Meanwhile, Russell, despite a persistent steering issue, held off pressure to finish second—until the disqualifications reshuffled everything. “I had the steering problem again,” he said, sounding more resigned than celebratory. “We’ve been consistent all year. That’s the goal. But this? This feels like a win stolen.”
The Plank Wear Scandal
Plank wear isn’t flashy. It’s the carbon fiber base underneath the car that’s measured to ensure teams aren’t running too low—a sign of illegal aerodynamic advantage. F1 regulations allow a minimum thickness of 9mm. When the stewards checked Norris’s and Piastri’s cars post-race, both were found at 8.7mm and 8.6mm respectively. That’s not a massive difference, but in F1, millimeters matter. The McLaren team, led by Team Principal Andrea Stella, admitted the error publicly. “We failed our drivers,” Stella said. “We didn’t manage the setup correctly under the unique stresses of this track. That’s on us.”
The disqualification meant Norris, who’d finished second on track, lost 18 championship points. Piastri, who’d crossed the line in third, lost 15. Suddenly, Verstappen—once 58 points behind Hamilton—was now tied with Piastri and just 24 points off the lead. “It’s not how we wanted to close the gap,” Verstappen said dryly in the press conference. “But I’ll take it.”
Williams’ Quiet Triumph
Amid the chaos, Carlos Sainz delivered the performance of his season. Starting third after a wet qualifying session, he held off the entire midfield to finish fifth—just 4 seconds behind Leclerc and a full 10 seconds ahead of the next car. “We didn’t have the pace to fight for podiums,” Sainz said, “but we maximized everything. That’s what this team needs right now.” His result gave Williams its best finish since the Miami GP and moved them within 12 points of Alpine for fourth in the constructors’ standings.
Elsewhere, Gabriel Bortoleto of Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber suffered his second consecutive collision with Lance Stroll of Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, ending his race at Turn 1. The incident, mirroring one in Brazil two weeks prior, has raised questions about Sauber’s race strategy and whether Stroll’s aggressive style is crossing a line.
The Championship Now Hangs by a Thread
Before Las Vegas, Verstappen was an afterthought in the title fight. Hamilton, with 412 points, was cruising. Now, Verstappen sits at 388—tied with Piastri—and with only two races left: the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar on November 29, and the season finale at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on December 1. The math is brutal: Verstappen needs to win both races, hope Hamilton scores no more than 14 points total, and pray Piastri doesn’t win either. It’s possible—but only just.
“We’re not math geniuses,” said Verstappen. “We just drive the car. If we win, we win. If we don’t, we don’t.” But behind the scenes, Red Bull’s strategists are already modeling every scenario. They know Hamilton’s car struggles in high-heat conditions—something Qatar’s desert night race could exploit.
What This Means for F1’s Future
The McLaren disqualification isn’t just a technical glitch—it’s a wake-up call. Teams are pushing aerodynamic limits harder than ever, and the plank wear rule, designed in the 1990s, may be outdated. FIA officials are already reviewing whether to increase the minimum thickness to 10mm next season. “We’re not punishing innovation,” said FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer. “We’re protecting fairness.”
For fans, this is the kind of season finale they’ve waited for: unpredictable, emotional, and deeply human. Norris, who once said he “let Max win,” now calls it “the worst mistake of my career.” Antonelli, who stood on the podium for the first time in his F1 career, cried openly. “I didn’t expect this,” he said, clutching his trophy. “I just wanted to finish.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How did plank wear disqualify both McLaren drivers?
F1 cars have a carbon fiber plank beneath the chassis to prevent teams from running too low to the ground for aerodynamic gain. The minimum legal thickness is 9mm. Both Norris and Piastri’s cars were measured at 8.7mm and 8.6mm after the race, violating the rule. Even though the wear was minor, FIA regulations are strict—any breach, no matter how small, results in disqualification.
Why is this disqualification so impactful for the championship?
Norris and Piastri lost 18 and 15 championship points respectively, which moved Verstappen from 58 points behind Lewis Hamilton to just 24 points behind. With only two races left, Verstappen now has a realistic path to the title—something that seemed impossible before Las Vegas. It’s the most dramatic points swing in F1 since the 2021 Abu Dhabi finale.
What’s next for McLaren after this scandal?
McLaren has launched an internal review of its setup procedures and telemetry monitoring. Team Principal Andrea Stella has promised changes before the Qatar race. The team also faces potential fines from the FIA. More importantly, driver morale is shaken—Norris admitted he now doubts his own racecraft, while Piastri is reportedly considering a seat change for 2026.
Could Verstappen actually win the title now?
Yes, but it’s unlikely. He must win both Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and Hamilton must score no more than 14 points across both races. Hamilton has finished in the top two in 18 of 23 races this season. If he finishes third in Qatar and fourth in Abu Dhabi (15 points), Verstappen needs to win both and have Hamilton score zero—nearly impossible. Still, F1 has a history of chaos. Don’t count it out.
Why did Carlos Sainz’s fifth place matter so much?
Williams hadn’t scored points in the top five since May. Sainz’s fifth place, combined with his third-place qualifying in wet conditions, showed the team’s car has real potential. It also moves Williams within 12 points of Alpine for fourth in the constructors’ standings—a rare bright spot in a season that began with funding uncertainty and internal turmoil.
Will F1 change the plank wear rules because of this?
Yes. The FIA is already discussing raising the minimum plank thickness from 9mm to 10mm for 2026, especially after the Las Vegas track’s unique vibrations and bumps caused unexpected wear. Officials admit the current rule is outdated for modern F1’s extreme downforce levels. This incident could accelerate the change—making it harder for teams to exploit edge cases in the future.
