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.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
