McLaren’s stunning disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix has completely flipped the F1 championship battle, sending shockwaves through the racing world.
Both McLaren cars failed FIA inspections with their rear skid blocks measuring less than the required 9mm thickness, forcing officials to throw out their results.
This bombshell decision has given Max Verstappen an unexpected 25-point swing in the championship standings.
Lando Norris, who crossed the finish line in second place, now sees his championship lead slashed in half. His point total drops to 390, with Verstappen closing the gap to just 24 points.
Verstappen now sits tied with Oscar Piastri at 366 points, creating a dramatic three-way battle with just two races remaining.
## Fans stunned by championship twist
The disqualification has racing fans absolutely buzzing about the sudden championship drama.
“Are they filming Drive to Survive this year by chance?” quipped one fan on social media, while another declared “Abu Dhabi will be a movie.”
The possibility of a genuine title fight has energized the F1 community. “We are getting a race for the championship now,” one commenter noted.
Others couldn’t believe the unexpected development. “Did not have this on my Bingo card for today!”
Verstappen’s supporters have found new hope in their driver’s championship chances. “Max could win it now. Oh God. We are dead here when it happens,” wrote an excited fan.
Another Verstappen supporter couldn’t contain their enthusiasm: “DU DU DU DU MAX VERSTAPPEN!!!! 5TH CHAMPIONSHIP COMING!!!”
The disqualification reshuffled the race results dramatically, bumping George Russell to P2 and his teammate Kimi Antonelli to P3.
One observant fan pointed out the dual impact: “1) The championship is wide open, and Max could easily grab it now. 2) Kimi is now P3, meaning he went from P17 to P3.”
With just two races left in the season, what seemed like a comfortable lead for Norris has transformed into what could be one of F1’s most thrilling championship conclusions in recent memory.
