McLaren's rising star Oscar Piastri has received a formal apology from his team bosses after a catastrophic Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend that saw both their cars disqualified - potentially costing the Australian driver any chance of securing the Formula 1 world championship runner-up position.
Las Vegas Nightmare Unfolds
The dramatic late-night disqualification in Las Vegas proved particularly devastating for Piastri, who now finds himself 24 points behind teammate Lando Norris in the championship standings with only two races remaining. Both McLaren drivers were excluded from the results after their cars were found to have breached technical regulations regarding skid block depth.
Team principal Andrea Stella issued a public apology to both drivers and the team's supporters, acknowledging the costly error in judgement. Had the original results stood, Norris would have extended his championship lead to 30 points, while Piastri would have closed the gap significantly.
Championship Picture Transformed
The disqualification has completely reshaped the championship battle, dragging Red Bull's defending champion Max Verstappen right back into contention. The Dutch driver is now level with Piastri on 366 points, while Norris maintains the lead with 390 points.
This represents a stunning reversal of fortune for Piastri, who as recently as August held a commanding 34-point advantage over Norris and was 104 points clear of Verstappen following his Dutch Grand Prix victory. Since that triumph, the Melbourne-born driver has failed to secure a podium finish in six consecutive races.
The timing couldn't be worse for the 24-year-old, whose form has dramatically declined while Verstappen has podiumed in all six of those same races, winning three of them.
Race to the Finish
With only the Qatar Grand Prix - featuring an additional sprint race - and the Abu Dhabi finale remaining, Piastri faces an uphill battle to salvage his championship aspirations. The Australian sounded notably resigned after the disqualification, stating: "The championship picture is what it is. We'll see what I can do."
Piastri's recent performances have shown concerning signs, with the driver crashing out in Azerbaijan and managing only fourth and fifth-place finishes in subsequent races before the Vegas disqualification. His statement after the ruling struck a determined yet realistic tone: "Disappointing to come away from this weekend with no points after an unfortunate disqualification due to skid wear."
Both Piastri and Norris had already left the circuit when McLaren announced the disqualification, adding to the dramatic nature of the late-night development. Norris, who would have secured second place in Vegas, described the situation as "frustrating to lose so many points" but emphasised the need to focus forward.
The coming weeks will prove crucial for Piastri's championship hopes, with the Australian acknowledging: "We now need to reset, refocus and push to get the best points possible in the final two rounds, both tracks that we've been strong at previously." The Formula 1 world now watches to see if the young driver can mount a remarkable comeback or if his championship dreams will end in disappointment.
