Las Vegas, Nov 23 (NationPress) McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix following post-race inspections that revealed both MCL39 vehicles did not meet the Formula 1 technical standards concerning the minimum skid block thickness.

After the race, FIA technical officials discovered that the rear skid wear on both cars dropped below the mandated minimum of 9mm, prompting a comprehensive investigation by the stewards. The ruling confirmed the violation, disqualifying both cars—Norris had initially finished second, and Piastri was classified fourth.

A document from the stewards indicated that the skid blocks on both vehicles were “measured and found to be lower than the minimum thickness of 9mm specified under Article 3.5.9 of the Technical Regulations.”

It further noted: “The rear skids were re-measured in the presence of the stewards and three McLaren representatives, and those new measurements verified that the skids did not adhere to the regulations. The measurements were even lower than those initially recorded by the Technical Delegate.”

McLaren contended that “mitigating circumstances were present, including unexpected porpoising during this event, limited testing opportunities due to inclement weather on Day 1, and shortened practice sessions.”

Though the stewards dismissed this argument, they recognized that “the FIA strongly believed that the breach was unintentional and that there was no deliberate attempt to evade the regulations.”

This disqualification significantly impacts the 2025 Drivers’ Championship race. Race victor Max Verstappen is now tied with Piastri at 366 points, while Norris maintains 390 points, 24 ahead, with two Grands Prix and one Sprint—totaling 58 points—remaining.

Norris, who began from pole position and led initially before going wide at Turn 1, slowed considerably towards the end of the race due to team orders to conserve fuel. Before his disqualification, he remarked:

“I’m not sure what the problems were. The team informed me of some issues and instructed me to ease off. That’s something I will discuss with them shortly.”

Piastri experienced his own tumultuous race, recovering from seventh place after lap-one contact with Liam Lawson and finishing fifth before advancing to fourth due to Antonelli’s penalty. Prior to the stewards’ ruling, he commented: “The first lap was eventful, to say the least, and a couple of mistakes followed that didn’t help. The team executed an impressive strategy to get our race back on track, which was likely the highlight.”

He added: “I got stuck behind Kimi, got close on one lap, but lost all grip when trying to get alongside, and I couldn't get close again. That made things quite challenging, but I felt there was more potential.”