F1 championship still alive, while Lawson is sorry

– Kiwi rues first-corner clash as McLaren disqualifications shake up the title fight

Liam Lawson left Las Vegas apologising to his team after a costly first-corner incident derailed what had looked like another strong weekend for the young Kiwi.

Promising start undone
Lawson lined up sixth on the grid following an impressive wet-weather qualifying showing, raising hopes he could back up the points he banked with seventh in Brazil. But the notoriously short run to Turn 1 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix created chaos for several drivers.

Carrying a touch too much speed, Lawson was squeezed wide and made contact with Oscar Piastri’s McLaren. Although he initially appeared to escape major damage, two laps later he was forced to pit for a new front wing, dropping him to the back of the field.

Lawson apologises
“Apologies to the team, it was extremely slippery into turn one and once I committed to brake, the cars in front started checking up and I didn’t have anywhere to go,” Lawson said afterwards.

The Kiwi added that the pace had been there for a double-points finish for Racing Bulls, with teammate Isack Hadjar coming home inside the top 10 to further strengthen his own case for a 2026 seat.

“I’m disappointed for the team today as the car has been fast this weekend,” Lawson said.
“We should have had two cars in the points today, so it’s a shame given where we started.”

Lawson ultimately finished 14th and remains 14th in the Drivers’ Championship.

Read more – F1 drivers’ standings

McLaren disqualifications jolt the title race
Lawson wasn’t the only one apologising post-race. McLaren suffered a major blow when both cars — Lando Norris in second and Piastri in fourth — were disqualified after FIA scrutineers found the under-floor skid-plank assembly on both cars had worn below the minimum thickness.

The rough Las Vegas surface is believed to have caused the excessive wear, but the ruling stands — and it keeps the championship very much alive with just Qatar and Abu Dhabi to run.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen inherited the win, and the disqualifications mean Norris’ lead over Verstappen and Piastri sits at 24 points with two races remaining.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella issued a statement after the shock ruling.
“We apologise to Lando and Oscar for the loss of points today, at a critical time in their Championship campaigns after two strong performances from them all weekend,” he said.
“As a team, we also apologise to our partners and fans, whose support means so much.
“While this outcome is extremely disappointing, we remain fully focused on the last two races of the season.”

A night that began with promise for Lawson and turned into frustration ended up reshaping the wider championship picture — setting up a tense final sprint to the 2025 F1 finale.