Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix due to a breach of technical regulations. Following the night race in Las Vegas, both McLaren cars failed post-race inspections, prompting officials to summon Norris and Piastri for further review.
Upon examination, FIA scrutineers found that the planks beneath the McLaren vehicles were thinner than the required 9mm minimum thickness at the end of the race. This indicated that the cars were operating with an unauthorized low ride height, resulting in their exclusion from the final race standings.
The disqualification has significant implications for the drivers’ championship race, as Max Verstappen emerged victorious in the Las Vegas event. With Norris and Piastri’s results invalidated, Verstappen now shares the same points as Piastri and trails championship leader Norris by 24 points with two races remaining.
Both McLaren drivers underwent a hearing with the stewards, which commenced at 7:45 am UK time and lasted over an hour. The final decision was confirmed around 2 am local time, well after the conclusion of the Grand Prix.
Despite starting from pole position, Norris finished the race in second place after losing ground to Verstappen at the first corner. While he managed to overtake the Mercedes cars, catching up to Verstappen proved insurmountable. The disqualification means Norris must now defend his championship lead against both his McLaren teammate and Verstappen in the remaining races.
Prior to learning of his disqualification, Norris expressed disappointment with his performance, attributing his subpar showing to insufficient speed and a mistake at turn one. Despite the setback, he acknowledged Verstappen’s strong performance and emphasized the need for improvement in upcoming races.
Looking ahead, Norris plans to regroup by engaging in leisure activities before focusing on the next race in Qatar.
