Verstappen dominates in Las Vegas and tightens the fight for the World Championship after McLaren’s penalty

Sports Writing. – Max Verstappen once again demonstrated his hierarchy this Sunday by conquering the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a race marked both by his superiority on the track and by the unexpected turn that the disqualification of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the end of the competition represented.

You may be interested in:Norris dominates in the rain and conquers the ‘pole’ of the Las Vegas Grand Prix; Sainz will start third

The Dutchman’s victory takes on even greater value due to the FIA’s decision, which excluded the McLaren drivers for failing to comply with the technical regulations, specifically article 3.5.9, which requires the underbody of the single-seater to maintain a thickness greater than nine millimeters. This ruling significantly altered the final podium, elevating George Russell to second place and awarding Andrea Kimi Antonelli a surprising third place.

Verstappen set the pace from the first corner

Taking advantage of a mistake by Norris at the start, Verstappen took control of the race from the initial corner and never looked back. His pace was impeccable, even against the poleman’s attempt to regain ground after a late braking that forced him to concede positions. Red Bull’s driver, four-time world champion, signed his sixth victory of the season, a result that rekindles the battle for the championship.

“Everything was under control. I was able to manage the tires and maintain the pace we needed,” Verstappen declared after his victory.

Antonelli, the Great Comeback of the Night

Andrea Kimi Antonelli was another of the great protagonists after climbing from 17th position to finally reach the podium after Piastri’s disqualification. His performance stood out for the impressive duration of his stint with hard tires, which he kept competitive for more than 40 laps.

Norris Admits His Mistake

Lando Norris accepted responsibility for his bad start, although he clarified that the real problem was the lack of pace to follow Verstappen.

“I braked very late in a dirty area and went wide. Even without that mistake, Max was too fast today,” the Briton pointed out.

Even so, he regretted the missed opportunity, although the subsequent penalty left him completely out of the points.

Altered Rankings and a World on Fire

The disqualification of both McLarens reconfigured the final result and adds an extra dose of drama to the two remaining races on the calendar. Verstappen cuts key points and keeps his title aspirations alive.