Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix due to a technical violation. Following the night race in Sin City, both McLaren cars failed post-race technical inspections, prompting Norris and Piastri to face the stewards.
FIA scrutineers discovered that the planks under the McLaren cars were below the required minimum thickness of 9mm at the end of the race. This indicated that the cars were running with an unlawfully low ride height, resulting in their disqualification from the final standings.
The disqualification significantly impacts the drivers’ championship battle after Max Verstappen emerged victorious in the Las Vegas race. With Norris and Piastri losing their results, Verstappen is now tied on points with Piastri and trails championship leader Norris by 24 points with two races remaining.
Both McLaren drivers underwent a hearing with the stewards, which commenced at 7:45 am UK time and lasted over an hour. The final decision was announced past 2 am local time, more than four hours after the Grand Prix concluded.
Despite starting on pole, Norris finished second in the race after being overtaken by Verstappen at the first corner. He attempted a vigorous defense against the Red Bull driver but ran wide, allowing both Verstappen and George Russell to pass him, ultimately securing third place.
Prior to his disqualification, Norris expressed disappointment with his performance, acknowledging his mistake at turn one. He admitted to lacking pace throughout the race and commended Verstappen’s dominant performance. Looking ahead to the next races, Norris emphasized the need for improvement and expressed eagerness to bounce back in Qatar after enjoying a brief break indulging in golf and padel.