- by Ashton Beauregard
- on 23 Nov, 2025
On a rain-slicked strip of neon-lit pavement in Las Vegas, Lando Norris delivered the performance of his life — and then watched it vanish. On the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Norris clocked a blistering 1:47.934 in treacherous wet conditions to claim pole position for McLaren-Mercedes. But the real shockwave came from behind: Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, qualified last — 20th — for the first time in his 18-year Formula 1 career. Not due to a crash. Not due to a mechanical failure. Just pure, unadorned pace. And it hurt.
The Pole That Almost Wasn't
The qualifying session began under drizzle, turning the Las Vegas Strip Circuit into a slick, unpredictable ribbon of asphalt and streetlights. Drivers tiptoed through the first sector, unsure whether to go full wet or gamble on intermediates. Norris, cool as ever, got it right. His final lap in Q3 was a masterclass in control — sliding through Turn 11 with just enough throttle to keep the McLaren alive, then carving a perfect line through the final chicane. He finished 0.323 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen of Red Bull-Honda RBPT, who had been the favorite. Third? Carlos Sainz of Williams-Mercedes, just 0.039 seconds off Verstappen’s pace. The top three were separated by less than half a second — a razor-thin margin in F1.Meanwhile, Hamilton’s session unraveled. His Ferrari lacked grip, his steering felt vague, and his lap times slipped further with every sector. By the end, he was 9.181 seconds slower than Norris. No excuses. No crashes. Just silence in the Ferrari garage. "It’s not the car," Hamilton told reporters afterward. "It’s me. I didn’t connect. I didn’t trust the surface. And that’s on me."
The Disqualification That Changed Everything
The race Sunday was a different story. Verstappen, starting second, took the lead early and never looked back. Norris, in the lead, held off pressure until lap 42 — then, just as he crossed the line in second place, the stewards called him in. His McLaren’s skid block had worn beyond the legal 8mm limit. Teammate Oscar Piastri, who finished third, was disqualified too. The result: Verstappen won. George Russell of Mercedes inherited second. Hamilton, who’d clawed his way up from 20th, finished eighth — his best result of the weekend.But the damage was done. Before qualifying, Norris led the championship by 24 points over Piastri. A one-two finish would’ve added 15 points to his lead — potentially sealing the title in Qatar next weekend. Instead, he lost 18 points in one stroke. "It’s devastating," said McLaren team principal Andrea Stella. "We had the car, the driver, the moment. And then… the skid block. It’s like winning the lottery and forgetting to claim it."
Hamilton’s Unthinkable Low
Hamilton’s 20th-place qualifying was historic — and haunting. In 318 career starts, he’d never been slower than everyone else on pure pace. He’d been outqualified before — by teammates, by rookies — but never this badly, never this cleanly. Even in his 2013 season with Mercedes, when he struggled, he still qualified inside the top 10. This? This was different. Analysts pointed to Ferrari’s new aerodynamic package, which struggled in damp conditions. Others cited Hamilton’s own comments from last week: "I’m still learning this car."But the deeper truth? Hamilton, at 39, is no longer the driver who could turn a bad car into a podium. He’s still fast — he finished eighth despite starting last — but he’s no longer untouchable. And in a sport where milliseconds matter, that’s a quiet revolution.
What’s Next? The Title Fight Hangs by a Thread
Norris still leads the championship — by just 6 points over Verstappen now, and 18 over Piastri. With 84 points still up for grabs, the title isn’t over. But the margin is paper-thin. To win in Qatar, Norris must outscore both Verstappen and Piastri. That’s a tall order. McLaren’s reliability has been stellar — until now. And Red Bull? They’re hungry. Verstappen won in Vegas. He’ll want another in Qatar.Meanwhile, Hamilton’s team is scrambling. Team principal Fred Vasseur admitted Ferrari’s wet-weather setup was "off." The team is already testing new front-wing configurations ahead of the next race. Hamilton says he’s not giving up. "I’ve been here before," he said. "Down. But never out."
The Bigger Picture
This weekend wasn’t just about poles and penalties. It was a turning point. Norris, 25, is on the cusp of becoming F1’s next superstar. But can he handle the pressure? Piastri, his teammate, is breathing down his neck. Verstappen, 27, is closing in. And Hamilton? He’s not done. But the era of his absolute dominance? It’s fading.The Las Vegas Strip glowed under the lights Saturday night. But the real drama? It was in the data. In the skid block wear. In the silence of a garage where a legend just qualified last for the first time. And in the quiet hope of a young Brit who still believes — even after the disqualification — that he can still win it all.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Lando Norris manage to qualify on pole in wet conditions when others struggled?
Norris’s success came from a combination of perfect tire choice — switching to intermediates at the ideal moment — and exceptional car control. His McLaren’s aerodynamic setup was tuned for low-speed grip, which gave him an edge through the slow, technical corners of the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. He also avoided traffic on his final lap, unlike teammate Oscar Piastri, who lost time behind slower cars.
Why was Lewis Hamilton’s 20th-place qualifying such a big deal?
Hamilton had never qualified last on pure pace in 318 F1 starts. Even during his early years with McLaren or his rough 2013 season, he always outpaced at least one rival. His 9.181-second deficit to Norris was the largest gap between first and last in qualifying this season — and the first time since 2007 that a seven-time world champion finished dead last in qualifying.
What caused the McLaren disqualification, and why wasn’t it caught earlier?
McLaren’s cars exceeded the 8mm minimum skid block wear limit after the race, a rule designed to prevent teams from running overly low ride heights. The team believed their wear rates were within tolerance based on pre-race simulations, but the wet conditions and high-speed kerb impacts in Vegas accelerated wear unpredictably. Telemetry didn’t flag it because the wear was uneven — concentrated in one area, which inspectors found during post-race scrutineering.
Can Lando Norris still win the 2025 championship after this setback?
Yes — but it’s tight. Norris now leads by only 6 points over Verstappen and 18 over Piastri, with 84 points remaining. To clinch the title in Qatar, he must finish ahead of both Verstappen and Piastri. If he wins and they score 10 or fewer points combined, he wins. But if Verstappen wins and Norris finishes fifth or lower, the gap could widen beyond recovery.
What does this mean for Ferrari’s 2025 season?
Ferrari’s wet-weather performance exposed a major flaw in their aerodynamic design, particularly in low-grip conditions. Hamilton’s last-place qualifying and Charles Leclerc’s ninth-place finish (1.938 seconds behind Norris) suggest the car lacks front-end bite in the rain. The team is already redesigning the front wing for Qatar, and if they don’t fix it, their championship hopes — already slim — could collapse entirely.
Is this the end of Hamilton’s title contention?
Not necessarily. Hamilton is still a race winner — he finished eighth from 20th in Vegas. But his title chances are effectively over. He’s 94 points behind Norris and 88 behind Verstappen. His focus now shifts to legacy: finishing the season strong, mentoring young drivers, and proving he can still compete — even if not win — at the highest level.