Norris and Piastri disqualified from F1 Las Vegas GP

McLaren has received a double disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix because both of its Formula 1 cars failed to meet the minimum thickness requirement of the rear skid block.

It means Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have respectively lost their second and fourth-place finishes from Saturday night, having breached Article 3.5.9 of the 2025 F1 technical regulations.

This states that the thickness of the plank must be at least 9mm, but Piastri's MCL39 had a thickness of 8.96mm on the left-hand-side front, compared to 8.74mm on the right-hand-side front with 8.90mm on the RHS rear. Norris' car, meanwhile, had a thickness of 8.88mm on the RHS front and 8.93mm on the RHS rear.  

The measurements were done in front of three McLaren representatives, who argued that "mitigating circumstances" had led to this outcome. The FIA also checked all cars that finished in the points places in the Las Vegas GP, with only McLaren found in breach of the rules.

That included "unexpected porpoising" and "limited opportunity to test" due to the wet and slippery practice sessions, in which the second one was "shortened" after two red flags. 

McLaren also argued "that the degree of the breach was lower than prior breaches of this regulation in 2025".

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

But "the FIA argued that unfortunately there was no provision in the regulations or in precedent for any penalty other than the usual penalty (i.e. disqualification),” the stewards report then read.

“The FIA noted that it strongly held the view that the breach was unintentional and that there was not deliberate attempt to circumvent the regulations.”

Mercedes pair George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli have consequently moved up to second and third behind winner Max Verstappen, who took his sixth victory of the season.

Verstappen’s hopes of a fifth consecutive title have also now increased because he is only 24 points behind leader Norris with two grands prix and a sprint race remaining. The Dutchman is joint-second with Piastri.

That is despite Piastri leading the standings for much of the year; he even led by 34 points at the end of August, but his ongoing podium-less streak of six grands prix has all but ended hopes of a maiden title.

Verstappen still needs additional fortune to win this year’s championship, but the picture is a lot better than the 42-point deficit he initially faced after Vegas, where the fifth and sixth disqualifications of 2025 occurred.

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images

The first three happened at round two in Shanghai, where the cars of Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly were 1kg underweight, causing them to lose respectively fifth and 11th.

Leclerc’s Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, lost his sixth-place result at the Chinese Grand Prix because of excessive wear on his rear skid block.

It was only two races later that the fourth disqualification of 2025 occurred, because Nico Hulkenberg lost 13th at the Bahrain Grand Prix after his Sauber failed to meet the minimum thickness requirement for the rear skid block.

None of those instances cost a driver a podium like Norris in Vegas though, with the last time that happening being the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix.

Russell led a Mercedes 1-2 across the line, but his W15 was later found to be 1.5kg underweight, meaning Hamilton collected his 105th and most recent grand prix win.

Hamilton was also the last driver to lose a runner-up finish through disqualification before Vegas, because his Mercedes had excessive rear skid block wear at the 2023 United States GP - thus handing second to Norris that day.

2025 Las Vegas GP top 10

1. Max Verstappen
2. George Russell
3. Andrea Kimi Antonelli
4. Charles Leclerc
5. Carlos Sainz
6. Isack Hadjar
7. Nico Hulkenberg
8. Lewis Hamilton
9. Esteban Ocon
10. Oliver Bearman