The FIA stewards detected irregularities in McLaren's single-seaters during post-race inspections and they were disqualified
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The Las Vegas Grand Prix took an unexpected turn after the race: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified after technical delegates found that their McLaren MCL39 cars did not comply with the regulations. The subsequent inspection revealed that the rear skid of both cars showed wear below the mandatory minimum of 9 mm (0.35 inches), violating Article 3.5.9 of the Technical Regulations.
The finding was referred to the stewards, who confirmed the penalty and removed Norris, who had finished second, and Piastri, who had finished fourth, from the official result. The new measurements, once again carried out in the presence of team representatives, confirmed the infraction and even showed lower values than those initially reported by the technical delegate.
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McLaren tried to justify the wear by arguing that the race was marked by unusual aerodynamic bouncing (porpoising), adverse weather conditions on the first day that limited setup, and reduced practice sessions. Although the stewards acknowledged that there was no deliberate intent to circumvent the regulations, they still dismissed the explanations and imposed the full penalty.
The sporting consequence was immediate: the race leader, Max Verstappen, gained a key advantage in the title fight. After recalculation, the Dutchman was tied with Piastri at 366 points, while Norris remained at the top with 390, now with a 24-point gap with only two Grands Prix (Qatar and Abu Dhabi) and one Sprint (Qatar) remaining, that is, 58 points up for grabs to decide the 2025 champion.
Verstappen mejora sus chances de ganar el campeonato
This is not the first time this season that disqualifications have occurred due to skid wear, as Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hülkenberg had already lost their results in China and Bahrain for similar infractions.
This double elimination also benefits the rest of the teams. Mercedes, for example, reached the podium with Russell in second and Antonelli in third and at the other end, Haas entered the points zone with Ocon in 9th place and Bearman in 10th. In Alpine's case, Franco Colapinto moved from 17th to 15th place and Pierre Gasly moved from 15th to 13th. Although they did not finish in the points zone, it slightly improves the result of a complicated weekend for the French team.
With the final stretch of the World Championship in sight, the penalty for McLaren reignites the title fight and adds even more tension to a championship that is reaching a dramatic conclusion to the calendar.
Drivers' and Constructors' Standings after Las Vegas updated following the eliminations of Norris and Piastri
