McLaren Suffers Double Disqualification, Verstappen inches Closer to F1 Title
Lusail, Qatar โ- A dramatic post-race disqualification ofโ both McLaren โฃdrivers, Lando โNorris and Oscar Piastri, following the Qatar Grand Prix has substantially altered the championshipโฃ standings โand propelledโ Max Verstappenโค closer to a third consecutiveโข Formula 1 World Championship.โ The disqualifications, stemmingโข from a technical infringement regarding the thickness of the plankโ under the cars, elevate Red Bull Racing’s Verstappen to the race winner and further solidify hisโ dominantโข position in the driver standings.
The disqualifications shake up a race initially completed with Norris finishingโฃ second and Piastri โฃfourth. Mercedes’ George Russell โฃnow moves to second โplace, and Kimi Antonelli of mercedes is credited with third after a penalty initially dropped himโ to fifth. The incident throws the championship battle into further uncertainty for McLaren,โ with both Norris and Piastri having traded the lead in the driver โstandings throughout the season. piastri, โwho last โwonโฃ at the Dutch โคGrand Prix on theโข final day of โคAugust,โ acknowledged his fading title hopes, stating,โ “I don’t really know what to think, to be honestโฆ I’m going to try my best, obviously, for the โnext two races and try โฃto put myselfโ in the best position possible.”
Norris experienced difficulties โearlyโ in the race, dropping from secondโฃ to third after โฃa slip โคin โthe first โคturn. Piastriโข also โlost ground at the start, falling from โfifth to seventh.The disqualification marks aโข significant setback for the McLaren team,โ who have been consistently challenging red Bullโ for race wins in recent events.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, starting โข19th after Ferrari’s first last-place qualifying result โsince โข2009, delivered a strong performance, gaining six positions on the โfirst lap and ultimately finishing eighth after the disqualifications. Ferrari’s charles Leclerc was credited with fourth place, a positive result for the team following a doubleโข retirementโฃ in Brazil that drew criticism from Ferrari executive chairman John Elkann.
With two โคraces remaining – the United states and Abu Dhabiโ Grands Prix – Verstappen’s leadโ in the championship is now commanding. The disqualification ofโ bothโ McLaren drivers hands Verstappen a crucialโ advantage as he aims to secure his third World โขChampionship title.
