At the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the McLaren team suffered significant losses as both drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, were disqualified after a review of the post-race results. The reason for the disqualification was that the rear skid blocks on both McLaren cars were found to be thinner than the minimum 9 mm set by the technical regulations.
Lando Norris finished second, and Oscar Piastri fourth, but the race results were nullified after inspection by the technical delegates. The stewards' documents stated that the rear skid blocks did not meet the specified standards. This resulted in significant consequences in the championship battle for the drivers, as both drivers did not earn any points in this round of the competition.
Impact on the Championship Race
After Norris's disqualification, who has 390 points, and Piastri, who has 366, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, who won the race, has now tied with Piastri in points, making the title fight even more intense, while two rounds remain in the season.
Norris, who started from pole position, had a successful start but lost position at the first corner, ending up in third place. He was able to regain second place later on, but at the end of the race, his team asked him to reduce his speed due to potential fuel issues. "I don’t know what the problems were. The team just said there were some difficulties, so I had to slow down," Norris commented after the race.
Official Position of McLaren
Representatives of McLaren expressed that they had tried to prepare arguments in their favor, noting that unexpected surface conditions on the track and limited testing opportunities due to weather conditions affected the results. However, the stewards did not take these circumstances into account, stating: "Formula 1 cannot afford breaches," emphasizing that no circumstances can justify non-compliance with the regulations.
This incident serves as yet another reminder that in Formula 1 racing, no detail can be in question, as any violation leads to serious consequences.
