McLaren's Double Disqualification in Las Vegas: An Unsuccessful Appeal
McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix due to excessive plank wear on their cars, a decision upheld by the FIA despite McLaren's appeal. This ruling significantly impacts the F1 Drivers' Championship, putting Max Verstappen on equal points with Piastri and narrowing the gap to Norris with two rounds left. McLaren's argument, citing unexpected porpoising and limited practice, was ultimately rejected by the FIA.
McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were controversially disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix results, a decision that carries significant implications for the F1 Drivers' Championship. Despite McLaren's appeal, the FIA stewards upheld the disqualification.
Why it matters:
McLaren's double disqualification in Las Vegas is a major setback for the team's ambitions in the Drivers' Championship. With Norris and Piastri originally finishing second and fourth, their exclusion has put Max Verstappen on equal points with Piastri, and only 24 points behind Norris with just two rounds remaining. This unexpected development dramatically tightens the championship race, especially considering McLaren's MCL39 was expected to perform strongly in the upcoming Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix.
The Details:
- The Breach: Both Norris and Piastri's cars failed to meet the required 9mm thickness of the plank skids on the bottom of their cars, a clear violation of technical regulations.
- McLaren's Defense: McLaren's argument to the FIA stewards was based on three main points:
- Unexpected Porpoising: The team cited "additional and unexpected porpoising" at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit as a contributing factor to the excessive plank wear.
- Limited Practice: Weather conditions on Day 1 and shortened practice sessions, according to McLaren, prevented them from adequately testing and understanding plank wear.
- Prior Breaches: McLaren also highlighted that the degree of their breach was "lower than prior breaches of this regulation in 2025," seemingly referencing incidents involving Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly, and Nico Hulkenberg.
- FIA's Stance: The FIA, while acknowledging that the breach was unintentional and not a deliberate attempt to circumvent regulations, maintained that there was "no provision in the regulations or in precedent for any penalty other than the usual penalty (i.e. disqualification)."
The Big Picture:
While McLaren secured the Constructors' title in Singapore, this incident puts a significant dent in their individual driver championship aspirations. Norris now faces a much tougher challenge to hold onto his points lead, and while Piastri is technically slightly advantaged by moving from 30 points behind his teammate to equal footing with Verstappen, the overall team result is a blow.
What's next:
With the Qatar Grand Prix (a sprint weekend) and the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remaining, the championship battle has intensified. Both races are generally considered favorable for the MCL39. McLaren will need to swiftly overcome this setback and ensure their cars are perfectly compliant and competitive to give Norris and Piastri the best chance to regain lost ground and challenge for the drivers' crown.