Max Verstappen’s pursuit of a fifth consecutive world championship has been dramatically resurrected in the wake of Lando Norris’ disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix. What initially looked like the final nail in Verstappen’s 2025 title bid has morphed into an unexpected lifeline, reshaping the end-of-season landscape with ruthless precision. After capitalising on a rare Norris misstep to seize the lead on lap one, Verstappen executed a characteristically emphatic march to victory on the neon-lit streets of Vegas — yet even that triumph seemed insufficient until the FIA’s ruling detonated the standings.
With both Norris and Piastri expelled from the results for excessive plank wear, Verstappen now finds himself just 24 points adrift of the championship lead and locked level with Piastri heading into the final two rounds. Their reactions, unsurprisingly, were charged with frustration, though Piastri appeared far less perturbed by the verdict than his teammate. The sudden tightening of the title fight has thrust the final stretch into razor-edged uncertainty, particularly given Norris’ historic tendency to falter under peak pressure.
Verstappen’s Vegas dominance reaffirmed Red Bull’s capability to threaten McLaren in raw pace, and with a sprint in Qatar boosting the remaining points tally to 58, the championship remains volatile enough for a dramatic late-season coup. The permutations are unforgiving: Verstappen must sweep both remaining Grands Prix and the Qatar Sprint, while requiring Norris to score no more than 33 points across the two Sundays — effectively finishing fourth or lower — and Piastri no better than second.
Should Verstappen fail to clinch the sprint but still win both Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the door remains open. In that scenario, Norris must limit his total to 25 points or fewer, with Piastri capped at 49 or fewer. The margins are narrow, but the mathematics refuses to rule out the Dutchman’s resurgence. And as Vegas proved, even a single scoreless weekend for Norris paired with a Verstappen victory can torpedo the championship order overnight.
Ultimately, Verstappen’s path is steep but far from impossible. The McLaren camp now faces suffocating pressure, the kind that has historically destabilised Norris at crucial junctures. If Verstappen continues his late-season charge and the cracks widen within McLaren’s armour, the sport could be on the brink of witnessing one of the most improbable title swings in modern Formula One history — a comeback worthy of motorsport folklore.
About the Author
