Verstappen wins big in Vegas with McLarens disqualified

Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen holds up the trophy on the podium after winning the Las Vegas Formula One Grand Prix (Photo credits: AFP)

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen produced a masterful drive to win the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday and his title hopes were boosted further with the McLarens of championship leader Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both being disqualified.

Norris finished the race in second with Piastri fourth but the skid blocks on both cars were found after the race to be less than the minimum depth.

The disqualifications mean that with two race weekends remaining, four-time defending champion Verstappen is now level on points with Piastri in the title race, just 24 points behind Norris.

But Verstappen’s chances of a fifth successive title will depend on another spectacular slip-up from Norris or his McLaren team.

With a maximum of 58 points available in the final two grands prix, the Briton just needs to score two more points than each of his rivals in next weekend’s penultimate weekend in Qatar, which includes a sprint, to secure his first title.

Verstappen dominated in Vegas from the moment he pounced on a slip by pole-sitter Norris on the first turn of Sin City’s street circuit to grab the lead.

Thereafter he controlled the race to claim the 69th Grand Prix win of his career, finishing more than 20 seconds clear.

AFP