The Formula 1 world championship was thrown into turmoil on Sunday as Lando Norris faced the threat of disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a move that could dramatically reshape the title battle with just two races remaining.
The Stewards' Inquiry
Despite crossing the finish line in a strong second place behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen, Norris and his McLaren team were summoned to meet with race stewards late on Saturday night. The investigation centres on a technical infringement concerning the rear skid on both McLaren cars.
The issue was identified more than two hours after the chequered flag fell, with Norris and a team representative attending the hearing at 23:45 local time (07:45 GMT). The rearmost skid blocks on the cars of Norris and his teammate Oscar Piastri were found to have worn below the minimum thickness of 9mm required by F1 regulations.
Title Implications Hang in the Balance
The potential consequences for Norris are severe. Arriving in Las Vegas, the British driver held a commanding 42-point lead over Verstappen. With only 58 points available across the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, he was in a powerful position to secure his first world championship.
However, a disqualification would see his lead slashed to just 24 points, transforming Verstappen from a distant challenger into a immediate threat. Piastri, who finished fourth, would also find himself 24 points adrift if he too is disqualified. This scenario echoes an earlier incident this season where Lewis Hamilton was excluded from the Chinese Grand Prix for a similar skid block infringement on his Ferrari.
Chaotic Race on the Las Vegas Strip
The on-track action in Sin City was as dramatic as the post-race drama. Norris, starting from pole position, made an error at the first corner, dropping to third behind Verstappen and Mercedes' George Russell. A flustered re-join saw him nearly collide with Verstappen, and in avoiding contact, he allowed Russell to pull clear.
Further back, the race saw several incidents. Piastri was fortunate to avoid damage after banging wheels with Liam Lawson, while Gabriel Bortoleto triggered a collision that wiped out Lance Stroll. Lewis Hamilton, who started a lowly 20th after a nightmare qualifying, skillfully navigated the chaos to gain eight positions.
Verstappen managed the race impeccably from the front, eventually crossing the line a commanding 20 seconds clear of the field. Norris managed to reclaim second place by overtaking Russell on lap 34 on the Las Vegas Boulevard, but he could not challenge the dominant Dutchman.
In the final standings, Kimi Antonelli initially finished fourth but a five-second penalty demoted him behind Piastri. Charles Leclerc climbed from ninth to sixth, while Hamilton secured a single point in tenth, capping another difficult weekend for the seven-time world champion.
All attention now turns to the stewards' decision, which will either solidify Norris's championship charge or ignite a thrilling finale in the desert.
