In a stunning post-race development that has dramatically reshaped the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, both McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Dramatic Disqualification Explained
The crushing blow came after both McLaren cars failed post-race technical checks conducted by the FIA, the sport's governing body. The specific infringement concerned excessive wear on the plank underneath the cars, a critical component monitored to prevent teams from running their cars too low to the ground for an illegal performance advantage.
According to the report from FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer, the measured thickness of the rearmost skid on both car number 81 (Piastri) and car number 04 (Norris) was found to be below the mandatory minimum of 9mm, as stipulated in the technical regulations. This finding was immediately referred to the race stewards, who had no choice but to issue the disqualifications.
Immediate Impact on the F1 Title Race
The consequences for the championship are severe. Before the disqualification, Lando Norris had finished the race in second place, extending his championship lead to a seemingly comfortable 30 points. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, had finished in fourth.
With their results now wiped from the record, Norris loses 18 points and Piastri loses 12 points. This means Norris's lead over Piastri is cut to 24 points. Furthermore, Max Verstappen, who won the Las Vegas Grand Prix, is now level on points with Piastri. However, by virtue of having more race wins this season (seven to Verstappen's six), the Australian driver retains second place in the standings.
A Recurring Problem in Formula 1
This type of infringement is not without precedent in the sport. The situation is identical to the disqualification of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc from the 2023 United States Grand Prix and the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix, where their cars also fell foul of the same plank wear regulations.
With the double disqualification, the final standings in Las Vegas were revised, promoting other drivers up the order. The focus now shifts to the final two rounds of the season, a sprint weekend in Qatar followed by the season finale in Abu Dhabi, with a total of 58 points still available for the taking, setting up a thrilling climax to the 2025 campaign.
