F1 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix results: Verstappen dominates in the desert, McLarens disqualified

Max Verstappen struck back in the F1 championship battle with a dominant victory under the lights in Las Vegas, punishing a Turn 1 error from title rival Lando Norris.

Despite starting from pole, Norris lost the lead immediately after running wide at the first corner, dropping behind both Verstappen and George Russell on Lap 1. 

While the Brit eventually recovered to second, finishing 20 seconds adrift of the Red Bull, both McLarens were eventually disqualified from the race.

Following the disqualification, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli completed the podium for Mercedes. 

Further back, Lewis Hamilton salvaged points from last on the grid, and Ollie Bearman showed flashes of brilliance in a rollercoaster race for Haas.

Full summary of the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix results

• Winner: Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
• Second place: George Russell (Mercedes)
• Third place: Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
• Lando Norris: DSQ for skid block wear
• Oscar Piastri: DSQ for skid block wear
• Lewis Hamilton: Eighth after starting P20
• Ollie Bearman: 10th following electric opening lap

2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix results

Verstappen capitalises on Norris’ Turn 1 mistake 

Max Verstappen delivered a clinical performance to reduce the deficit in the drivers' standings, seizing the advantage the moment the lights went out.

Having fended off Max entering Turn 1, Lando ran wide mid corner, allowing the four-time champion to cut underneath the McLaren and into the lead.  

From there, Max controlled the race, extending his lead to 20 seconds by the time the chequered flag fell. 

It was already a great result for Verstappen and Red Bull, but what happened after the race would put him firmly in the hunt for a fifth world title.

Norris' title bid devastated by disqualification

Lando Norris endured a night of frustration that then became a championship nightmare. After securing pole position, his race unravelled at the very first corner as he attempted to defend the inside line, braking too late and running wide. That left the door open for Verstappen.

The error also allowed George Russell to demote Norris to third. Although the McLaren driver recovered to pass Russell on Lap 34, he was unable to challenge Verstappen, crossing the line a distant second.

However, his 18 points were wiped out later that night. The FIA reported that his skid block had worn beyond the permitted limit. The resulting disqualification left him with zero points from the weekend, and Verstappen 24 points behind in the standings.

Piastri excluded after another lacklustre drive

Oscar Piastri joined his team-mate in post-race disqualification, capping off a miserable evening for McLaren. The Australian had fought hard to finish fifth on the road after a difficult qualifying where he only just scraped into Q3.

After starting fifth, he dropped to seventh on Lap 1 and fell behind Charles Leclerc on Lap 12. Piastri rallied during a Virtual Safety Car period, capitalising on the restart to pass Isack Hadjar for sixth and eventually used superior tyre life to overhaul Leclerc for fifth.

But the hard-fought 10 points evaporated when scrutineers discovered the same skid block wear issue that plagued Norris, resulting in immediate disqualification.

Russell returns to the rostrum

George Russell converted a fourth-place start into a solid podium finish for Mercedes. The Briton made a lightning getaway, capitalising on Norris’s Turn 1 excursion to run second for the first half of the race.

Although he couldn’t hold off the recovering McLaren of Norris, who breezed past on Lap 34, Russell had enough pace to keep his team-mate at bay. 

It was a welcome return to the top three for Russell, and became second after Norris’ disqualification.

Hamilton fights from back to points

Lewis Hamilton produced a trademark recovery drive to salvage points after a disastrous qualifying session saw him start 20th and last.

The seven-time champion was on a mission from the start, gaining an incredible six places on Lap 1 alone to sit 14th. He continued to carve through the midfield, rising to 12th within the opening stint.

After the pitstops, Hamilton was inside top ten but couldn’t make any further inroads in another disappointing weekend for Ferrari. He was elevated to eighth in the wake of the McLaren penalties.

Mixed fortunes for Bearman

Ollie Bearman experienced the highs and lows of street racing in Vegas. Having started 14th, he made a miraculous start, mirroring Hamilton by making up six places on Lap 1 to run eighth. He soon dispatched Liam Lawson to run as high as seventh, looking set for a big points haul.

However, as the race settled, the Haas struggled with tyre degradation compared to the cars around him. Bearman slowly slipped back through the order, eventually crossing the line in 12th, although the McLaren disqualifications elevated him to tenth and the final championship point.

2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix – key takeaways

• Max Verstappen dominates after taking the lead at Turn 1.
• Lando Norris disqualified with excessive skid block wear.
• George Russell secures second in Las Vegas.
• Oscar Piastri disqualified with excessive skid block wear.
• Lewis Hamilton recovers from P20 to P8.
• Ollie Bearman rockets to P7 early but fades to 10th.

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