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Max Verstappen’s Controversial Antics: Did They Cost Lando Norris Victory in Las Vegas?

Miguel Cunha by Miguel Cunha
November 24, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Max Verstappen’s Controversial Antics: Did They Cost Lando Norris Victory in Las Vegas?

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 22: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing on the podium with his FIA medal during the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 22, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Zak Mauger/LAT Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202511230513 // Usage for editorial use only //

Chaos in Las Vegas: Did Max Verstappen’s Mind Games Trigger Lando Norris’ Disastrous Start?

In a dramatic twist at the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, the spotlight is now on Max Verstappen and whether his tactics during the formation lap played a crucial role in Lando Norris’ catastrophic misstep at the start. This electrifying race at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit saw Norris, who had secured pole position, immediately falter, allowing Verstappen to seize the lead and drive to victory.

As the lights went out, the tension was palpable. Norris made a bold move to cover his rival Verstappen’s Red Bull, but his aggressive maneuver quickly turned into a blunder. The McLaren star misjudged the first corner, slipping back to third place as both Verstappen and George Russell zoomed past him. It was a heart-stopping moment that left fans on the edge of their seats.

Despite regaining his position over Russell’s Mercedes later in the race, Norris struggled to close the gap to Verstappen, especially when issues began to plague the Red Bull driver in the closing laps. In the end, Norris took responsibility for his error, admitting, “I messed up Turn 1 – it was pretty poor from me. I braked too late. So yeah, it was all on me, pretty poor from myself.” He conceded that even if he hadn’t made the mistake, McLaren’s pace simply couldn’t match Red Bull’s supremacy. “Max has done a very good job and the Red Bull is very quick. They deserve the win today. They were in another league compared to us,” he lamented.

Adding fuel to the fire, Norris was heard expressing his frustrations on the team radio, suggesting that Verstappen had been deliberately hanging back during the warm-up lap, potentially influencing his mindset for the start. McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, was cautious about attributing Norris’ error to Verstappen’s antics. “We don’t know whether that was an influence or not,” he stated, acknowledging the overwhelming speed of Red Bull. “Instinctively, I thought to tell Will to say, ‘Tell him to stay calm.’ But we lost the position, we regained one on track with Russell, but I’m not sure we could have kept the lead with the pace Verstappen exhibited.”

Stella’s reflections reveal a deeper analysis of the race dynamics, as he noted, “Honestly, Max was faster than us in pretty much all conditions.” As the dust settled on this thrilling race, the McLaren team was left to ponder how they could have approached the start differently while facing an adversary that seems to be operating on another level entirely.

With both McLaren cars facing exclusion post-race, the stakes were even higher, leaving fans to wonder how this dramatic turn of events will shape the future for Norris and his team. Will they be able to recover from this setback? One thing is for sure: the Las Vegas Grand Prix has sparked questions that will linger long after the engines have cooled.

Tags: 1958-formula-1-season2019-red-bull-crandon-world-cup2025-f1-las-vegas-grand-prix2025-mclaren-f1-championshipGeorge Russelljamarr-chases-mercedes-maybachLando Norrismax-verstappen-en
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