F1 is on fire: the wildest season finale is coming
It seems the end of this season was scripted by the writers of the famous movie starring Brad Pitt. Three races before the end, it seemed Verstappen had no chance for the title, except mathematically. Yes, even now, no one believes that Norris will lose the world champion title. But everyone was sure that Lando would secure the championship early in Vegas. But what happened?
Everything was going quite typically. The qualifying wasn't that interesting, but already at the start of the race, in the first corner, Norris decided to do something that cost him first place. As per Verstappen's tradition, the orange car began to sharply maneuver towards Max, cutting him off. Verstappen uses this tactic constantly, and he has perfected it. But Norris decided to try it for the first time and realized he is not yet such a big professional. The very first corner, and the Briton doesn't fit into it. Max calmly overtakes him on the inside and never loses the lead position.
And there it is – the finish. Max is first, but this doesn't affect the standings, as Norris is also on the podium. It seems that the slightest intrigue that was left is dead. But half an hour passes, independent experts go to check the cars, and what do we see? The lower skid block on the McLaren cars is worn down. By mere millimeters, but it's a violation. And this violation leads to disqualification. Piastri and Norris immediately lose all points, receiving zero for this race. What happens in the standings at this moment?
Max Verstappen equals Piastri in points and trails Norris by only 24 points. This difference can be leveled in just one event if Norris fails to score points again and Max wins the race. But is it realistic to do this? It seems not, but let's indulge in a bit of speculation.
Why was McLaren disqualified?
After the Brazilian Grand Prix, someone complained to the FIA that some teams were using cheats, namely a titanium plate that was attached underneath. During the race, the titanium heated up and expanded, touching the asphalt and not wearing down the skid block. This meant the car could be made slightly lower, which is better for downforce. Who complained? Perhaps it was Red Bull, but is this prohibited by the rules?
In general, after the Brazilian Grand Prix, the FIA announced that several teams were deprived of such a luxury as the titanium plate. And what now? This means adjusting the car again, making a different ride height. It seems McLaren was on the list. After all, it was their skid block that wore down during Vegas. Yes, this is a question for the technicians, as other teams had no issues with ride height, but the orange cars were disqualified. What now?
And now let's imagine the following situation. The titanium plate is gone, the ride height is as stated in the regulations. And with these settings, McLaren will have to race. Are they accustomed to such a car? Without the extra weight for the car itself in the form of a plate and with normal ride height. That's the question. Because after the Brazilian Grand Prix and after FIA inspections, several cars performed noticeably worse. It seems we might see something similar with McLaren.
Does Verstappen have a chance?
Max's only hope is another disqualification for Norris or his retirement from the race. In all other scenarios, Lando doesn't even need to win the remaining races to become the world champion. Of course, if Verstappen wins the race in Qatar and Norris finishes off the podium, the gap will narrow, but in Abu Dhabi, a significant difference is still needed. And Norris is unlikely to deliberately score fewer points than he can.
Verstappen's driving skills are undeniable; he is a huge professional and will certainly strive to win the remaining stages, despite the slim chances of ultimate success. When considering the tracks in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the temperature is the primary factor. In high temperatures, McLaren has better chances, as the orange cars perform better at 30+ degrees. But again, we return to questions about the titanium plate. These will be interesting stages with enormous pressure on Norris. Psychologically, Verstappen is much more stable than his opponent.
What about the Constructors' Championship?
In the Constructors' Championship, the situation is interesting only in the battle for second place. No one will catch McLaren, but the fight for second place is in full swing. After the Vegas Grand Prix, where Hamilton and Leclerc, to put it mildly, did not have their best race, Mercedes solidified their hold on second place. Now, it will be very difficult to displace the German team from this position. Antonelli and Russell are in excellent form and showed in Vegas that they can deliver high results.
For Ferrari, this season cannot be considered a success. Hamilton has already admitted that 2025 is the worst year of his career. Leclerc is still trying, attempting to compete, but there are increasing opinions that he should leave this team and find himself in a stronger car because at Ferrari, the cars take a long time to set up and are not very efficient.
What's next?
Next, there are only two weeks and two stages left – in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. That's where everything will be decided. If Norris wins the race in Qatar, he will become the world champion in advance. And if Verstappen takes first place, there will still be mathematical chances in Abu Dhabi. Qatar will be the decisive stage, no matter how you look at it. If McLaren fights for the podium and shows very good times, taking a prize place, it means they managed to set up the car and the drivers adapted to the conditions without any plates and with the necessary clearance. If not, we are in for not the best performance from the orange team and a powerful intrigue.
We can only follow this story and enjoy the fact that Formula 1 continues to provide us with bright events. Who would have thought that McLaren would get a disqualification? This only means one thing – anything can happen in this world. Stay tuned to Scores24 – we'll keep you updated!
