F1 Academy – Las Vegas
An exciting and rewarding finish to the F1 Academy season under the lights of Las Vegas was the perfect way to put a stamp on a great year for Joanne Ciconte.
Heading into the final weekend, Ciconte had an opportunity to secure points in back-to-back rounds following a strong finish at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Prior to Qualifying, Ciconte logged the 17th-fastest lap time in Free Practice, before making good progress in Qualifying, finishing the session one place off a grid spot in the top 10. A lap time of 2:08.182 put the Australian 11th on the grid for Race 1.
Numerous DNFs and a disqualification produced a smaller finishing cohort, but Ciconte did well not to become part of the litany of incidents.
Instead, the Victorian would gain a position a position over the 12 laps to finish the first of two races in 10th with a fastest lap of 2:23.201.
Ciconte’s second race of the weekend, and the final race of the season, would be shorter. Ciconte and Wild Card entry Payton Westcott collided on lap 2 and spun as a result.
Both cars sustained race-ending damage, forcing an appearance from the Safety Car while both were recovered from the circuit.
The 16-year-old wrapped up her 2025 campaign with MP Motorsport 14th in the Drivers’ Standings with eight points on the season following positive results in Jeddah, Montreal and Singapore.
Compatriot Aiva Anagnostiadis finished the year on five Championship points, despite being ruled out of the final two rounds of the season after undergoing foot surgery.
Formula One – Las Vegas
Oscar Piastri’s Formula One World Drivers Championship hopes remain in the balance heading into the penultimate round of the season.
Piastri, who finished the Las Vegas Grand Prix fourth, found himself 30 points behind teammate and Championship frontrunner Lando Norris.
However, both McLaren drivers were disqualified from the race after it was deemed the rear skids on their cars were worn below the minimum 9mm thickness required by regulations during post-race checks.
This wiped both Norris’and Piastri’s points totals from the weekend, with the latter now tied with four-time World Champion and Las Vegas Grand Prix race winner Max Verstappen on 366 points. It also brings Verstappen closer to Championship leader Norris, who sits on 390 points.
Prior to the disqualification, Piastri performed well on track, despite an early collision with Kiwi Liam Lawson.
The Australian started fifth on the grid, but was pushed to seventh when Lawson clipped the side of his McLaren after avoiding a late-braking George Russell.
Piastri remained composed to get back up to sixth, and then focused on the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc and Williams of Carlos Sainz.
Shadowing Leclerc early, McLaren applied an undercut that vaulted him past both drivers. He later crossed the line fifth but was elevated to fourth after Kimi Antonelli’s five-second penalty for a start-line infringement.
The Qatar Grand Prix takes place this weekend and will involve a Sprint Race, meaning a maximum points haul of 33 points will be up for grabs for Piastri.
