Max Verstappen's path to a fifth consecutive Formula One championship has dramatically cleared after McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified from Saturday's Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Post-Race Inspection Failure
Three hours after the chequered flag fell on the Las Vegas Strip, the FIA summoned McLaren to face the stewards following a routine inspection. Both cars failed to meet minimum skid wear thickness requirements, leading to immediate disqualification from the race results.
The skid wear measurement relates to the protective plank on the underside of the cars, designed to prevent teams from running their vehicles too low to the ground. This isn't the first time this season this regulation has been enforced - Lewis Hamilton suffered the same fate earlier in the year for an identical infringement.
Championship Standings Reshuffle
The disqualification has caused a significant shake-up in the driver standings with only two races remaining in the season. Verstappen now trails Norris by just 24 points, having closed what was a 42-point gap before the disqualifications were announced.
Norris had initially finished the Las Vegas race with a 30-point advantage over teammate Piastri and that 42-point buffer over Verstappen. The Dutch driver's victory in Las Vegas, combined with McLaren's disqualification, has seen him leapfrog Piastri into second place in the championship. Piastri now sits third, 40 points behind his teammate.
Verstappen's Favourite Hunting Grounds
The timing of this dramatic turn of events couldn't be more favourable for the Red Bull driver. The championship now moves to circuits where Verstappen has dominated recently - he won the last race in Qatar and has taken victory in four of the last five Abu Dhabi Grands Prix.
The season concludes on December 7th at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, where Verstappen will be looking to secure his fifth consecutive world title if current form and fortune continue.
For McLaren and their drivers, the Las Vegas weekend will be remembered as a costly lesson in regulatory compliance, with both cars showing visible disappointment alongside team CEO Zak Brown as they processed the stewards' decision.
