The McLaren drivers finished second and fourth — but in a stunning twist, both were disqualified after the postrace celebrations, with major implications for the championship.

Lando Norris arrives in Qatar leading the championship by 24 points over his teammate Oscar Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Norris claims the title if he outscores Piastri and Verstappen by 2 points across the weekend, achieving a 26-point lead with only 25 points left in the final race.

Only Lando Norris can become Formula One world champion in Qatar this weekend but the McLaren driver could also be overtaken in the title race by both teammate Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen.

The race in Nevada last weekend was won by Verstappen but Norris took a strong second and Piastri fourth. However, four hours afterwards, following an investigation by the FIA, both were disqualified after the skid blocks on the floor of their cars were found to have been worn down below the 9mm limit defined in the rules.

Points standings tighten as McLaren teammates Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri stunningly fail post-race inspections at Saturday's Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Lando Norris is entering the Qatar Grand Prix with a 24-point lead over Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri; however, it could have been more. Norris and Piastri were disqualified due to excessive plank wear in Las Vegas,

Lando Norris arrives in Qatar this weekend with the Formula One crown tantalisingly within his grasp. Here, AFP Sport assesses what the McLaren driver must do to extinguish the challenges of Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen and claim his maiden title in the penultimate round of the 2025 season.