McLaren Confident Las Vegas DSQ Issues Won't Repeat in Qatar

McLaren is confident the porpoising issues that led to their double disqualification at the Las Vegas Grand Prix will not recur this weekend in Qatar. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were stripped of their second and fourth-place finishes, respectively, due to excessive skid-block wear, a setback the team attributes to an 'anomaly' rather than aggressive setup.

Why it matters:

• The double disqualification in Las Vegas was a significant blow for McLaren, costing them crucial championship points and narrowing Norris's title lead over Max Verstappen to just 24 points. Replicating such an issue could severely impact their championship aspirations.
• McLaren's explanation suggests that the incident was an unforeseen consequence of specific track conditions, rather than a deliberate, risky setup strategy. This distinction is crucial for maintaining their reputation for sound engineering and calculated risk-taking in F1.
• A reliable performance in Qatar is vital to regain momentum and confidence, especially with only two races left in the season for Norris to secure his maiden F1 title.

The details:

• Unexpected Porpoising: Team Principal Andrea Stella stated that the cars suffered an "unexpected occurrence of extensive porpoising" with "large vertical oscillations" during the 50-lap Las Vegas Grand Prix.
• Exacerbating Conditions: Stella explained that these issues were "exacerbated by the conditions in which the car operated during the race," and attempts to mitigate them through "lift and coast" techniques actually proved "counterproductive."
• Track Specificity: McLaren believes the problems were "very specific to the operating window of the car in Vegas and the circuit characteristics," suggesting they were not a systemic flaw.
• No Excessive Risk: Stella denied that the disqualification was "the outcome of an excessive or unreasonable chase of performance," instead attributing it to an "anomaly in the behaviour of the car."
• Driver Perspectives: Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri echoed this sentiment. Norris commented, "It wasn't because we were just running low. Sometimes it can be the opposite," adding, "In some ways, you can almost say we didn't take enough risk."
• Playing it Safe: Piastri revealed that McLaren had actually "played it safe" with the MCL39's ride height due to limited practice time after red flags in the second session.

What's next:

McLaren is focused on learning from the Las Vegas incident and applying those lessons to optimize their car for the upcoming races. They are confident that their "well-established and consolidated way of setting up the car" will lead to an optimal plan for Qatar and beyond.

Norris, despite the lost points, remains sanguine and determined, stating, "It doesn't change anything. I want to try and win in Qatar, I want to try and win in Abu Dhabi." His focus is squarely on securing his first F1 title, pushing the team to its limits as they always do against fierce competition like Red Bull.