McLaren Disqualified in Las Vegas: Verstappen Revives in the F1 Title Fight

Scandal in Las Vegas: McLaren Disqualified and Verstappen in the Fight for the Title

Las Vegas witnessed an unexpected turn in the Formula 1 World Championship. McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, were disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix due to illegal wear on the underfloor of their cars. This fact has revived the competition for the title, placing Max Verstappen back in the running. According to F1 regulations, the thickness of the planks located under the cars must be at least 9 mm. However, after the race on Saturday night, it was discovered that the two McLaren cars did not comply with this regulation. After the race, McLaren was summoned before the stewards and it was determined that he had infringed the regulations, resulting in disqualification. This unexpected change in the battle for the 2025 championship means that Verstappen, who had secured the victory in the race, is now tied in points with Piastri, both with 366. Norris leads with a 24-point advantage over both.

The warning signs began at the end of Saturday’s race, when Norris was told to reduce his pace in the final laps, although it was initially believed to be due to fuel problems. His distance from Verstappen was reduced from five to twenty-one seconds, but he managed to hold onto second position ahead of George Russell. Piastri finished fourth, one position ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who, after receiving a five-second penalty, dropped to fifth position. Initially, Verstappen’s victory kept him in the fight, 42 points away. Now, he has become a real contender for the first time this year. There are two races remaining in the next two weeks, starting with the Qatar Grand Prix, which will include a sprint race on November 29, before the grand prix on November 30. While Verstappen seeks his fifth consecutive title, Norris and Piastri compete for their first championship. Verstappen has won four of the eight races since the F1 season resumed.

The thickness of the bottom plank of the F1 cars is measured at four points. The stewards issued identical statements for both cars, and the FIA found that the front right side of Norris measured 8.88 mm and the rear right, 8.93 mm. Piastri’s front left measured 8.96 mm, the front right, 8.74 mm and the rear right, 8.90 mm.

In simple terms, McLaren’s margin of non-compliance was minimal, similar to the thickness of a human hair.

The relevant measurements were even lower than those originally measured by the Technical Delegate.

Official Statement

The team argued that there were mitigating circumstances, such as unexpected “porpoising”, limited testing opportunities due to the weather, and shorter practice sessions. The FIA acknowledged that the non-compliance was unintentional, but found no grounds to avoid disqualification. Andrea Stella, McLaren team principal, lamented the result: “During the race, both cars experienced unexpected levels of porpoising, which led to excessive ground contact. We are investigating the reasons for this car behavior, including the effect of accidental damage suffered by both cars, which we found after the race, and which led to an increase in ground movement.” Stella added: “We apologize to Lando and Oscar for the loss of points today, at a crucial moment in their championship campaigns. As a team, we also apologize to our partners and fans, whose support means a lot. Although this result is extremely disappointing, we remain fully focused on the last two races of the season.” Norris expressed his frustration: “It’s frustrating to lose so many points. As a team, we are always looking to get the maximum possible performance, and it’s clear that today we haven’t achieved the right balance. There’s nothing I can do to change that now, so now the focus is on Qatar, where we will try to deliver the best possible performance in each session.” Piastri shared his disappointment: “With how tight the grid is, we are always looking for where we can gain performance, and this time we didn’t achieve it. Now we need to readjust, refocus, and strive to get the best possible points in the last two rounds, on two tracks where we have been strong before.” There are 33 points at stake in the Qatar Grand Prix, which means that Piastri and Verstappen could leave the penultimate round leading the championship. The F1 season will end with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 7th.