'Verstappen shoots into title fight after McLaren DSQ'

The big news of the day was, of course, the double disqualification of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from the Las Vegas GP, both ruled out due to excessive plank wear — a decision that has put Verstappen back firmly in the title fight.

The Dutchman now finds himself just 24 points behind, with two races and a sprint still to go. It’s still a significant gap, but one that keeps his championship hopes alive compared to the scenario at the checkered flag.

At the start, there was even a little skirmish between Verstappen and Norris, with the latter running wide at Turn 1 while trying to defend the lead, leaving an opening that allowed the Red Bull driver to seize the race lead—a lead he never relinquished all the way to the finish.

Another major talking point is Lewis Hamilton’s deepening crisis. He qualified last and finished only tenth in the race, despite a solid recovery. He then gained a further two positions after the McLarens' disqualification. The Brit appeared visibly disheartened after the race when speaking to journalists, admitting he’s already looking forward to next season.

On the other hand, Kimi Antonelli, who inherited the heavy mantle left by the seven-time world champion at Mercedes, pulled off an extraordinary recovery from seventeenth to fifth place. His effort ultimately turned into a podium finish in the end, despite serving a five-second penalty for a jump start at the beginning of the race.

Last but not least, Aston Martin is said to be gearing up for what could be a top-level shake-up, with team principal Andy Cowell set to step down and several names reportedly in the running to replace him, including Christian Horner.