F1 Standings 2025: Max Verstappen given HUGE boost after McLaren nightmare

Four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen has been given a major boost in his fight for the 2025 drivers' title after a nightmare for McLaren early on in the United States Grand Prix weekend.

On Friday in COTA, Verstappen picked up his third consecutive sprint pole position at the Texan track, going on to cement his status as the sprint king the following day with the 13th sprint race victory of his career.

McLaren got unlucky at Turn 1 on the first lap of the 100km event as championship leader Oscar Piastri touched wheels with the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg.

A domino effect ensued, sending Piastri hurtling into his team-mate Lando Norris, taking them both out of the race and crucially, the chance to pick up more points.

Verstappen's win in the 2025 US GP sprint meant he picked up the maximum of eight points on offer on Saturday, and after a double point-less outing for the top two in the drivers' standings, the title race has been blown wide open.

There are a maximum of 25 points up for grabs on Sunday in Austin and then a further 141 available across the final five grands prix and two sprint races of the calendar.

A fight down to the wire could now be very much on the cards and after a disaster for McLaren's driver duo, the Dutchman is now 55 points behind standings leader Piastri and 33 points behind Norris.

The papaya F1 squad already wrapped up the 2025 constructors' title, but thanks to Verstappen's eight points and a tremendous drive from Yuki Tsunoda which saw him make up 11 places and take home two points, Red Bull are now just seven points behind Ferrari.

Here is how the F1 standings look after the 2025 US Grand Prix sprint race!

F1 Drivers' Standings after 2025 US Grand Prix Sprint

F1 Constructors' Standings after 2025 US Grand Prix Sprint

2025 rule change removes fastest lap point

The fastest lap point has been removed for the 2025 season. Since 2019, drivers have picked up an extra point if they finish in the top 10 and achieve the fastest lap.

However, in the past, this led to some drivers abandoning their races to pit and fit a new set of tyres in the final stages of the race in order to claim the fastest lap point or prevent a rival from getting the extra point, playing the tactical long game in the championship standings.

The most famous example of this last season came during Daniel Ricciardo's final F1 race, when the Australian finished last but claimed the fastest lap on the final lap of the Singapore GP, taking the extra point away from Norris and helping Verstappen's 2024 title bid.

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