Norris Maintains F1 Title Lead, Eyes Qatar GP After McLaren Inspection Penalty
Lusail, Qatar – Lando Norris heads into the Qatar Grand Prix with a reduced but still commanding lead in the Formula 1 World Championship standings, despite a post-race penalty for McLaren following an inspection failure in Las Vegas. The FIA steadfast that the measured thickness on the skid wear – the protective plank on the underside of both McLaren cars – did not meet minimum requirements.
The penalty saw Norris’s points advantage shrink from 30 over Oscar Piastri and 42 over Max Verstappen to 24 points over both rivals, leaving him with 390 points to their 366. Piastri currently holds the tie-breaker for second place based on a 7-6 win total over Verstappen.
The incident underscores the intense scrutiny teams face as the championship battle intensifies. Despite the setback,Norris remains focused on securing his frist F1 title. The Qatar Grand Prix offers a crucial possibility to extend his lead, notably as rival teams like Ferrari grapple with internal pressure and performance issues.
Ferrari is under pressure to finish the season strongly following criticism from executive chairman John elkann. seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, who joined Ferrari this season, has struggled to meet expectations, recording his worst-ever qualifying performance in Las Vegas, finishing 20th. “I feel terrible. Terrible,” Hamilton said after the race. He has only won two F1 races in the last four seasons, including one sprint race in China in March. Frustration has occasionally surfaced in radio exchanges with race engineer Ricciardo Adami,including a sarcastic suggestion for Adami to “have a tea break” during the Miami GP in May. Team principal Frédéric Vasseur urged Hamilton to “calm down and be focused on the next two races,” and the driver later stated his Vegas comments were made “in the heat of frustration.”
Charles Leclerc, also driving for Ferrari, has not secured a race win this season, despite winning three races with the team in 2024. He currently leads Hamilton in podium finishes 7-0 and in the standings, holding fifth place with 226 points to Hamilton’s sixth with 152, just 15 points ahead of Kimi Antonelli, who will replace Hamilton at mercedes next season.
