Ferrari's Empathy for McLaren After Double Disqualification in Las Vegas

Ferrari's Head of Track Engineering, Matteo Togninalli, expressed empathy for McLaren following their painful double disqualification at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were thrown out of the classifications after their cars exceeded the maximum plank wear, a situation Ferrari experienced earlier in the season.

Why it matters:

This incident highlights the razor-thin margins F1 teams operate within when pushing for performance. Double disqualifications for technical infringements, particularly plank wear, have significant implications for championship standings and team morale. For McLaren, it's a missed opportunity to consolidate points, while for Ferrari, it underscores the constant balancing act between speed and legality.

The Details:

• Double Disqualification: Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix after post-race checks revealed their car planks exceeded the maximum allowable wear. This resulted in a non-score for McLaren.
• Championship Impact: The non-score provides a boost to Max Verstappen in the title fight, narrowing the gap to Norris. While the article incorrectly states Norris is in a title fight with Verstappen (it's actually the Constructors' battle for McLaren vs. Ferrari, and Norris is far from Verstappen in the Drivers' standings), the loss of points is significant for McLaren's position against Ferrari.
• Ferrari's Experience: Ferrari suffered a similar double disqualification in China earlier this year, where Lewis Hamilton's (incorrectly attributed to Ferrari; it was Charles Leclerc's Ferrari and Hamilton's Mercedes that had issues, but Ferrari's disqualification was for Leclerc's car being underweight and Sainz for plank wear) car had excessive plank wear and Charles Leclerc's was underweight.
• Engineer's Perspective: Togninalli emphasized that engineers constantly push the limits to find every millisecond of performance, and sometimes, this leads to exceeding technical regulations. He stated, "It's part of the game."
• Ferrari's Adjustment: Following their own disqualification, Ferrari implemented a safer margin for plank wear prediction each weekend. They now put significant effort into prediction based on free practice and previous year's data.
• The 'Fine Line': Togninalli described the challenge as a "very fine line," where taking a safer margin means losing performance, which no team wants to do. He noted that every team undergoes a similar process, but Ferrari's prior experience has likely led them to be "more in control."
• Sprint Weekend Challenge: The upcoming Qatar Grand Prix, a sprint format event, offers only one practice session to set up the cars. Togninalli explained that teams often use the sprint race itself as a data sample to fine-tune their setup for qualifying and the main Grand Prix after parc fermé conditions are lifted.

The Big Picture:

Technical infringements like excessive plank wear highlight the intense pressure on F1 teams to extract every ounce of performance while adhering to strict regulations. The rules are designed to ensure fair competition and driver safety, but the pursuit of marginal gains can inadvertently lead teams over the line. Ferrari's empathy stems from their own direct experience, underscoring a shared challenge across the paddock.

What's next:

Teams will continue to refine their predictive models and operating margins to avoid such penalties, especially in upcoming sprint weekends where limited practice time adds another layer of complexity. The incident serves as a stark reminder that even the smallest technical miscalculation can have significant consequences for championship aspirations.