Formula 1: Double disqualification haunts McLaren ahead of Qatar Grand Prix

By Alan Baldwin, Reuters

Contrary to popular lore, what happens in Las Vegas most definitely does not stay in Vegas as far as Formula One is concerned.

The aftershock of Sunday's double disqualification in Nevada hangs over champions McLaren ahead of a sprint weekend in Qatar that could hand Lando Norris his first Formula One crown - or erode his lead.

The Briton is 24 points clear of Australian team-mate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen with two rounds remaining - a total of 58 points to be won and all to play for.

After Sunday, there will be just 25 on offer.

Norris and Piastri finished second and fourth respectively in Las Vegas but, due to the under-car plank and rear skids wearing too thin, lost their points in a development that blew the title battle wide open.

The thinner the plank, the closer to the ground the car rides and the faster it goes.

The open and unanswered question, as the circus prepares for the second part of a final triple header, is how much McLaren's performance might now be affected over the season-ending weekends in the Middle East.

Rivals, and particularly Red Bull who have Verstappen chasing a fifth title in a row after winning in Las Vegas, will be keeping a very close eye on developments.

Qatar and Abu Dhabi should play to McLaren's strengths - Piastri won last year's sprint while Norris set the fastest race lap - but will they have to play safe and run a higher setting than usual, giving away some aerodynamic advantage?

Verstappen also has a great record in Qatar as the only driver to win twice there, the Dutchman clinching his third title in 2023 after the Saturday sprint, which was also won by Piastri.

He won last year, with Norris demoted from second to 10th after collecting a 10 second stop/go penalty for speeding during yellow warning flags.

George Russell put Mercedes on pole at the Lusail circuit last year, after Verstappen was demoted one place for driving unnecessarily slowly, and will be one to watch along with team-mate Kimi Antonelli.

Mercedes are solidly second in the constructors' championship, 40 points clear of Red Bull and 53 ahead of Ferrari, but nothing is certain.

Pirelli has imposed a maximum of 25 laps per set of tyres for Sunday's race, following analysis of wear from 2024 and after similar limits in 2023.

That will mean at least two pitstops per driver and also produce a faster pace - which could subject the plank to more punishment and reduce the need for tyre management, another McLaren strength.

McLaren also have two drivers to manage while Verstappen is his team's sole focus, will get priority in pitstops and - when it comes to championships - has been there before and will be laser focused.

Formula One statistics for the Qatar Grand Prix

Lap distance: 5.419km. Total distance: 308.611km (57 laps)

2024 sprint winner: Oscar Piastri (Australia) McLaren

2024 pole position: George Russell (Britain) Mercedes one minute 20.575 seconds*

2024 winner: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull

Race fastest lap (2023 layout): Lando Norris (Britain) McLaren 1:22.384

Start time: 5am Monday (NZ time) / 7pm local time

*Verstappen was fastest in qualifying but handed a one place grid drop for driving unnecessarily slowly.

Qatar

Qatar started a 10-year deal to host Formula One in 2023 after a debut in 2021. There was no race in 2022 because of the country hosting the soccer World Cup.

Verstappen clinched his third title in Qatar in 2023 with second place in the Saturday sprint and then won the Sunday race. He is going for his third Qatar Grand Prix win in a row.

Lewis Hamilton, now with Ferrari, won with Mercedes in 2021.

The Lusail layout was resurfaced in 2023 and is fast and flowing, originally conceived for MotoGP, with 16 medium and high-speed corners and no heavy braking. The main straight is more than 1km long.

Pirelli and the FIA have imposed a maximum of 25 laps per set of tyres following analysis of tyre wear from 2024. That will mean at least two pitstops per driver.

The safety car was deployed three times in last year's race.

Drivers' Championship

Norris leads Piastri and Verstappen by 24 points with two rounds remaining worth a total of 58 points.

Piastri has not beaten his team-mate in seven races, with both disqualified in Las Vegas last weekend while Verstappen won.

Norris cannot take the title on Saturday but could be champion for the first time on Sunday. If so, he will end Verstappen's reign that started in 2021.

Constructors' title

McLaren clinched the team's 10th constructors' championship, and second in a row, in Singapore last month.

Mercedes are a distant second, 40 clear of Red Bull who are 13 ahead of Ferrari.

Wins

Piastri and Norris have both won seven times this season, Verstappen six and Russell two.

Ferrari's seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has not won since his career 105th victory, with Mercedes, in Belgium on July 28, 2024.

Ferrari have not won since 27 October last year and are the only top four team without a win.

Verstappen has won 69 grand prix and is third on the all-time list after Michael Schumacher on 91.

McLaren have won 14 of 22 races.

Sprint

Verstappen (Belgium, Austin) and Norris (Miami, Brazil) have each won two sprints this year. Hamilton won in Shanghai. Three of the five were won from pole.

Pole position

Verstappen and Norris have both been on pole seven times this season, Piastri five, Russell twice and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc once. Fifteen of 22 races have been won from pole.

Podium

Norris has been on the podium 17 times in 22 races, the most of any driver, and Piastri 14. Piastri has been absent from the podium in six successive races.

Verstappen has been on the podium for eight in a row.

Leclerc has been second twice. The Monegasque has seven podiums for the season. Hamilton has yet to stand on the podium for Ferrari since he joined in January.

Nine drivers from seven teams have been on the podium in 2025.

Verstappen's win in Las Vegas was his 125th career podium. He is third on the all-time list.

Points

Alpine rookie Franco Colapinto is the only driver on the grid yet to score this year.

- Reuters