Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix due to a technical infringement. The McLaren team’s cars failed post-race inspections following the night event in Las Vegas, prompting officials to summon Norris and Piastri.
FIA scrutineers identified that the planks beneath the McLaren vehicles were thinner than the mandated 9mm minimum thickness at the race’s conclusion. This indicated a breach of regulations regarding the cars’ ride height, resulting in their exclusion from the final standings.
The disqualification significantly impacts the drivers’ championship battle, as Max Verstappen emerged victorious in Las Vegas. With Norris and Piastri’s results annulled, Verstappen now shares the same points as Piastri and trails championship leader Norris by 24 points with two races left.
Both McLaren drivers were required to appear before the stewards, with the hearing commencing at 7:45am UK time and lasting over an hour. The final decision was announced around 2am local time, more than four hours post the Grand Prix’s conclusion.
Despite starting on pole, Norris finished second in the race after losing the lead to Verstappen at the initial corner. While attempting to defend aggressively, Norris overshot the corner, dropping to third behind Verstappen and George Russell.
Following his disqualification, Norris expressed disappointment in his race performance, acknowledging the team’s lack of pace. He credited Verstappen and Red Bull for their superior speed and expressed a desire to improve before the upcoming races. Norris had hoped to extend his championship lead but now faces a challenge from both his McLaren teammate and Verstappen in the remaining rounds.
