RESPECT: LANDO NORRIS HAILED FOR STOPPING VERSTAPPEN'S MIND GAMES
Lando Norris's Las Vegas disqualification throws the F1 championship wide open, with Max Verstappen now just 24 points behind.
Lando Norris's disqualification in Las Vegas really shook up the 2025 drivers' championship. Max Verstappen is now only 24 points behind, making the title chase super close.
Norris was on track to extend his lead over Verstappen to 42 points and widen the gap on his teammate, Oscar Piastri, to 30. Instead, the top three drivers are heading into the last two races with everything to play for, with less than a single race win separating them.
Piastri actually benefited from McLaren's first-ever double disqualification at the Las Vegas GP. He finished behind Norris in P2 and P4, while Verstappen took the victory. It turned out that both McLaren cars had too much wear on their skid blocks.
Even with the disqualification, the Las Vegas race wasn't a total loss for Norris. Tom Coronel thinks Norris's aggressive move at the start, defending the lead from Verstappen, sent a strong message. Norris cut across the track to grab the inside line.
Here's the situation for Norris after the Las Vegas race:
He can clinch the 2025 title at the Qatar Grand Prix if:
Verstappen and Piastri score the same or fewer points across the weekend.
He scores 2 points across both races, and Verstappen and Piastri fail to score in Qatar.
Coronel pointed out that Norris's risky move, even though he braked too late and lost the lead, showed Verstappen that he won't back down. Verstappen now knows Norris will be a tough competitor in the final races.
Coronel said, "Lando's taking risks because he needs those points." Max is just messing around. Lando was surprisingly aggressive, and I liked it.
He went a bit too far, but he's showing he won't let anyone push him around. Those are the good things.
Verstappen thought Norris's opening move was what you should do, considering the long run to the first turn. He himself pulled a similar move on Charles Leclerc back in 2023, forcing his way inside.
But in the end, none of that mattered since Norris and Piastri were disqualified after the race and lacked the speed to stay with Verstappen. Now, Christian Danner believes McLaren may have to rethink their strategy of treating both drivers equally to secure the title.
"They've been pushing this strategy while comfortably in the lead," he told Sport.de. I'm not sure if they'll stick with it.
Despite what McLaren says, I'm sceptical because they haven't been in a title fight this late in a long time.
McLaren has been saying all year that they'll treat Norris and Piastri fairly as long as both have a shot at the championship. However, with Verstappen just 24 points behind, he could break into the top two for the first time since April in Qatar.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
