On Friday night, Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari turned heads at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit with a blistering 1:34.802 in FP1 — the fastest lap of the opening session for the 2025 Formula 1 Heineken Las Vegas Grand Prix. Just 0.166 seconds behind, Alex Albon of Williams Racing looked strong, while Yuki Tsunoda of Oracle Red Bull Racing completed the top three, just 0.269 seconds off the pace. The 60-minute session unfolded under the neon glow of the Strip, with all 20 drivers tackling the 6.120-kilometer street circuit that snakes past casinos, hotels, and the iconic Elvis Presley Turn — Turn 14 — a brutal 90-degree right-hander that breaks necks and brakes alike.
FP1 Surprise: Championship Contenders Lag Behind
What made the session truly odd wasn’t just Leclerc’s pace — it was who wasn’t there. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, McLaren’s star duo and championship contenders, finished sixth and eighth respectively. Their absence from the top five was jarring. Both had been expected to challenge for pole, especially after strong performances in Singapore and Qatar. But on this night, their MCL39 seemed to lack downforce in the high-speed straights and struggled with tire degradation on the abrasive asphalt. "They’re not matching the rhythm," one senior McLaren engineer told Motorsport Week. "The car’s fine in clean air, but in traffic, it just doesn’t bite."
Behind them, Max Verstappen of Red Bull was fourth — just 0.307 seconds back — but his lap time was more about managing tires than outright speed. He didn’t push on his final run, a calculated move by the team to preserve fresh rubber for qualifying. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz in fifth and Lewis Hamilton in eleventh revealed Ferrari’s surprising depth: both cars were inside the top 12, a rare sign of consistency for the Italian team this season.
Race Night: Chaos on the Strip
The race, held under the dazzling lights of Saturday, November 22, 2025, was anything but predictable. Max Verstappen took control early, pulling away in the opening laps with a flawless strategy and tire management that left rivals scrambling. By lap 30, he was already 8 seconds clear. But the real drama unfolded off the track.
Two of the season’s biggest stories — Norris and Piastri — were disqualified after the checkered flag. The stewards ruled that both McLarens had exceeded the minimum skid block wear limit, a technical infringement that’s been quietly tightening since 2023. The skid block, a wooden plate beneath the car designed to prevent excessive ground clearance, had worn down to 8.2mm on Norris’s car and 8.5mm on Piastri’s — just under the 9mm minimum. "It’s not about cheating," said FIA technical director Nikolas Tombazis. "It’s about control. We’re seeing teams push the edge harder than ever."
The disqualifications sent shockwaves through the paddock. McLaren, which had been in contention for second in the constructors’ championship, lost 36 points overnight. "It’s devastating," said team principal Andreas Seidl. "We didn’t even realize we were borderline until the post-race inspection. That’s on us."
Unexpected Winners and Losers
While McLaren reeled, others capitalized. Alex Albon finished ninth — but with the disqualifications, he moved up to seventh, securing crucial points that kept Williams Racing in fifth place in the constructors’ standings. "He didn’t win the race," noted Motorsport.com’s analysis, "but he won the season for Williams."
Meanwhile, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old Mercedes rookie, finished third despite a five-second penalty for a false start — a rare misstep for a driver who’s looked poised since his debut in Monza. His performance, alongside George Russell’s runner-up finish, signaled that Mercedes might finally be closing the gap to Red Bull after a season of struggle.
Leclerc, despite his FP1 dominance, finished fourth — just 0.190 seconds behind third. He was visibly frustrated. "We had the pace," he said post-race. "But the car just didn’t respond when I needed it. We’re missing something in the rear end."
What This Means for Abu Dhabi
With the Las Vegas Grand Prix now in the books, the 2025 F1 season heads to its finale in Abu Dhabi on November 30. Verstappen leads the drivers’ championship by 47 points over Norris — but Norris is now out of contention. That leaves Leclerc and Russell as the only realistic challengers. Ferrari, however, trails Red Bull by 89 points in the constructors’ standings — a gap that’s now nearly impossible to close without a miracle in Abu Dhabi.
McLaren’s disqualification has opened the door for Racing Bulls and Kick Sauber to fight for fourth in the constructors’ battle. With Isack Hadjar and Gabriel Bortoleto both scoring points in Las Vegas, the fight for the final top-five spot is wide open.
Behind the Scenes: The Skid Block Controversy
The skid block issue isn’t new — teams have been tweaking their underbody geometry for years to maximize aerodynamic efficiency. But since 2023, the FIA has introduced stricter wear limits and post-race laser scans. In 2024, three teams received warnings. This year, McLaren became the first to be disqualified for it. "It’s a fine line," said former F1 engineer and current analyst Derek Warwick. "You want to run as low as possible to get more downforce. But if the block wears too fast, it’s a sign you’re scraping the track — and that’s dangerous."
The FIA has confirmed it will review the skid block rules ahead of 2026, possibly introducing a new material or a real-time wear sensor. For now, teams are left guessing — and McLaren is left wondering what went wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri disqualified?
Norris and Piastri were disqualified because their McLaren MCL39 cars exceeded the allowable skid block wear limit — the wooden plate beneath the car that prevents excessive ground clearance. Both cars measured below the 9mm minimum, with Norris at 8.2mm and Piastri at 8.5mm. The FIA considers this a technical infringement, not a safety violation, but it’s a clear breach of the regulations meant to ensure fair competition.
How did Charles Leclerc’s FP1 performance compare to his race result?
Leclerc dominated FP1 with the fastest time — 1:34.802 — but finished fourth in the race, 30.678 seconds behind winner Max Verstappen. The gap highlights Ferrari’s struggle with race pace and tire degradation on the abrasive Las Vegas surface. While the car had strong qualifying potential, it couldn’t maintain the same performance over 50 laps, suggesting a setup compromise that favored short bursts over endurance.
What impact did the disqualifications have on the constructors’ championship?
The disqualifications cost McLaren 36 points, dropping them from a potential second-place finish in the constructors’ standings to fourth. That opened the door for Racing Bulls and Kick Sauber to close in on fifth place, turning what was a two-team battle into a three-way fight. Williams Racing, thanks to Alex Albon’s points haul, remains firmly in fifth — a remarkable turnaround after a dismal mid-season.
Is the skid block rule likely to change before Abu Dhabi?
No. The FIA confirmed the skid block regulations will remain unchanged for the Abu Dhabi finale. However, a formal review is scheduled for December, ahead of the 2026 technical regulations. Teams are already testing alternative materials and wear sensors. Expect a major overhaul next season — possibly including real-time telemetry monitoring of skid block thickness during races.
Why is the Las Vegas Strip Circuit so tough on tires?
The circuit’s asphalt is a mix of repaved roadways and high-friction concrete, particularly around Turns 14 and 17. Combined with the long straights and heavy braking zones, this creates extreme thermal stress on the rear tires. Pirelli’s 2025 compound, while durable, still degrades faster here than on any other street circuit — which is why tire management, not outright speed, decided the race.
Who’s now in contention for the 2025 F1 title?
Only Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc remain mathematically in contention. Verstappen leads by 47 points, but Leclerc is the only driver with enough points to challenge him — assuming Verstappen has a DNF or mechanical failure in Abu Dhabi. George Russell, despite his podium, is now 62 points behind — too far to catch without multiple retirements from the Red Bull driver.