McLaren Disqualified from Las Vegas GP, Norris and Piastri Lose Podium Finishes
McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix due to their cars failing to meet the minimum thickness requirement of the rear skid block. This decision stripped Norris of his second-place finish and Piastri of fourth, drastically narrowing the championship gap to Max Verstappen and intensifying the title fight with only two GPs and a sprint race remaining.
McLaren faced a double disqualification at the Las Vegas Grand Prix after both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri's cars failed to meet the minimum thickness requirement for the rear skid block. This violation of Article 3.5.9 e) of the 2025 F1 technical regulations resulted in Norris losing his second-place finish and Piastri his fourth, significantly altering the race results and championship standings.
Why it matters:
This double disqualification has major implications for the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship. Max Verstappen, initially trailing Norris by a significant margin, now sees his title hopes dramatically boosted. It also highlights the stringent technical regulations in F1 and the consequences of even minor infractions, impacting not just race results but also the entire season's narrative.
The details:
- Technical Breach: Both McLaren cars, driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, were found to have rear skid blocks that were below the mandated minimum thickness of 9mm (after wear). The regulation states a thickness of 10mm ± 0.2mm when new, with a minimum of 9mm acceptable due to wear.
- Race Result Revisions: Following the disqualifications:
- George Russell (Mercedes) moved from third to second place.
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) moved from fifth to third, securing his first podium.
- Max Verstappen, who won the race, now holds a more favorable position in the championship.
- Championship Impact: Verstappen's deficit to championship leader Norris has shrunk from 42 points to just 24 points with two Grands Prix and a sprint race remaining. Piastri, who was joint-second with Verstappen before the disqualification, has also been affected.
- Piastri's Title Hopes: Piastri had led the standings for much of the year, at one point holding a 34-point lead in August. However, his ongoing six-race podium-less streak, combined with this disqualification, has severely diminished his chances for a maiden title.
The big picture:
This incident marks the fifth and sixth disqualifications of the 2025 season, underscoring a trend of strict enforcement of technical regulations. Previous disqualifications include Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly (underweight cars in Shanghai), Lewis Hamilton (excessive skid block wear in China), and Nico Hulkenberg (skid block wear in Bahrain). However, the McLaren disqualification is the first this season to strip drivers of podium finishes, drawing parallels to George Russell's underweight W15 at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix and Lewis Hamilton's skid block wear at the 2023 United States GP. These events consistently remind teams of the razor-thin margins and meticulous adherence required to compete at the pinnacle of motorsport.
What's next:
The revised championship standings set the stage for an even more thrilling conclusion to the 2025 F1 season. With Verstappen closing the gap significantly, the upcoming races in the calendar will be crucial. All eyes will be on Norris and McLaren to see how they respond to this setback and if they can regain momentum to fend off Verstappen's charge for a fifth consecutive title. The intensified championship battle is now poised for a dramatic showdown.