Vegas Aftermath: Why Lando Must Embrace the 'Professor' Mentality

Well, it’s the Monday after the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and wow, what a rollercoaster!

Before I get into any of that, I want to be clear: I don't want this to be a conspiratorial blog. 

I base this Senate Grand Prix Blog on facts. My job today is to unpack the pure racing spectacle that unfolded in Las Vegas.

The Legendary Max: A Flawless Performance

First and foremost, a massive congratulations to Max Verstappen. The legendary, cool, calm Dutchman—the four-time World Champion—delivered a flawless race. Max ran an incredible race, coolly collected, and gathered those crucial points after Lando Norris made a massive mistake that opened the door for him.

We must remember the man's context. Max has had a child this year, he's driven in GT formulas, launched new virtual racing companies, and yet still kept his foot firmly stamped on the title race. The Red Bull RB21 might not be an equal match to the McLaren in every scenario, but on its day, it can be 20 seconds ahead of its nearest rival. Max's talent ensures this car is always a weapon.

The Lando Dilemma: Points Over Glory

Lando was doing the smart thing in the closing stages. I’ve read the cry from fans that it's "not racing" for a driver to call in and be asked to lay up or go for it, and that a driver should always be going for the win. But if I were Lando, I would adopt the "Professor" mentality—the Alain Prost thing—and that is simply to lay up and collect your points for the next three races. It is the smartest thing a champion can do. It's what separates a fast driver from a World Drivers' Champion.

This moment of composure is the result of a mid-season turnaround. 

Lando has driven in phenomenal form over the last seven races, fueled by the sheer necessity of fighting back after Oscar Piastri's uncharacteristic mistake in Baku earlier in the year.

What a treat we are all looking forward to! It is still a three-horse race. 

We are going to get a phenomenal run into the final three stages of the 2025 season: the Qatar Grand Prix (a Sprint race!), and the infamous Abu Dhabi Grand Prix showdown at sunset. 

This intense schedule will undoubtedly put immense strain on gearboxes and engines across the entire grid.

I will be writing several blogs this week—unpacking the disqualification, analysing the drivers, and setting up my regular poll to ask you, the race fans, for your final predictions!

And as always, when the lights go out and the drama unfolds, here at Senate Grand Prix, there is only one winner, and that's you, the race fans!