McLaren apologise to Norris, Piastri and fans for Las Vegas Grand Prix disqualification
What happened in Las Vegas
McLaren have held their hands up and issued an apology to their drivers after their breach of Formula One regulations led to the disqualification of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the two leading title contenders, from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and put the F1 drivers’ championship within the grasp of the reigning champion, Max Verstappen.
The race was won by the Red Bull driver but Norris took a strong second and Piastri fourth. However, four hours after the race and following an FIA post-race check, both were disqualified after the skid blocks on the floor of their cars — the wooden plank fixed beneath the chassis that protects the underfloor — were found to have been worn down below the 9mm limit defined in the rules.
Skid or plank wear can be accelerated by factors such as unusual porpoising, low ride heights chosen for more performance, or the abrasive surface of a street circuit like Las Vegas. The FIA’s checks are routine after races, but it is rare for both cars from a single team — let alone the leading title contenders — to be excluded from the official results.
McLaren apology and drivers' reaction
“We apologise to Lando and Oscar for the loss of points today, at a critical time in their championship campaigns after two strong performances from them all weekend,” said McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella. “As a team, we also apologise to our partners and fans, whose support means so much. While this outcome is extremely disappointing, we remain fully focused on the last two races of the season.”
Norris: The British driver expressed his disappointment at losing the points after a strong showing. “It’s frustrating to lose so many points,” he said. “As a team, we’re always pushing to find as much performance as we can and we clearly didn’t get that balance right today. Nothing I can do will change that now; instead full focus switches to Qatar, where we’ll aim to go out and deliver the best possible performance in every session.”
Piastri: Oscar Piastri echoed the need to reset after the disqualification. “[It is] disappointing to come away from this weekend with no points after an unfortunate disqualification due to skid wear. With how close the grid is, we’re always looking at where we can gain performance, and we didn’t get it right this time. We now need to reset, refocus and push to get the best points possible in the final two rounds, both tracks that we’ve been strong at previously.”
Championship implications
The adjusted result means Max Verstappen has closed from 49 points behind Lando Norris to only 24, and is now level with Oscar Piastri, with two meetings remaining in Qatar and Abu Dhabi and 58 points still available. That arithmetic makes the title fight significantly tighter: Norris would need to outscore both rivals by at least two points across the Doha sprint and grand prix to be 26 points clear and claim the title there.
To put that into practical terms: a strong weekend in Doha (for example a podium in the sprint plus a top-five finish in the grand prix) combined with lower returns for Verstappen and Piastri could see Norris extend his lead; conversely, double points finishes for Red Bull or consistent podiums would leave the championship poised to be decided at the season finale in Abu Dhabi. With the margins small, qualifying, sprint performance and race strategy across the remaining races will be decisive for the standings and the title race.
FIA investigation and ruling
The FIA issued a statement at 1.30am local time after a meeting with McLaren representatives that lasted more than an hour and a quarter — an unusually long discussion in cases of skid block or plank wear, which are typically straightforward. In its decision the governing body said McLaren argued mitigating circumstances existed, citing additional and unexpected porpoising at the Las Vegas street circuit, limited opportunity to test because of the weather on day one, and shortened practice sessions.
The FIA added that there was no provision in the regulations or in precedent for any penalty other than disqualification in this circumstance, and therefore the usual sanction was applied. The stewards noted they strongly believed the breach was unintentional and that there was no deliberate attempt to circumvent the rules, but rules on plank wear and minimum thickness are strict and have been enforced in previous events to preserve parity and safety.
For clarity, porpoising is a vertical oscillation that can increase plank wear when teams run very low ride heights to boost performance; the plank (or skid block) is a mandatory underfloor element whose minimum thickness (measured post-race) is defined in the technical regulations to prevent excessive ground contact and protect the car’s floor. The FIA statement and the stewards’ written decision (where available) should be consulted for full details, and any historical precedents for plank-related disqualifications provide context for this strict application of the rules.
Concluding — what next for the title fight and McLaren
While the double disqualification is a heavy blow for McLaren, the team has said it will remain focused for the remaining races of the season. With Doha (Qatar) followed by the season finale in Abu Dhabi, the tight title fight between Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen will be decided by small margins: qualifying pace, sprint performance, race strategy and consistent car performance over each weekend will be decisive for the standings.
What to watch next: sprint and grand prix results in Doha; whether McLaren can manage plank wear and avoid a repeat of the Las Vegas issue; how Red Bull respond; and any shifts in momentum among the drivers and teams that could determine the world championship in Abu Dhabi.
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