Lando Norris and Oscar Plastri, the two McLaren drivers, were disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix due to a breach of technical regulations with their cars.
In Las Vegas, Norris finished second, and Plastri placed fourth.
A technical inspection revealed that the rearmost skids on both McLaren cars were below the 9mm minimum requirement.
The matter was then referred to the stewards.
A document was released detailing the skid condition:
“measured and found to be below the minimum thickness of 9mm specified under Article 3.5.9 of the Technical Regulations.”
It further stated that the skids were re-measured in the presence of stewards and McLaren representatives.
McLaren’s argument was dismissed by the stewards, and a statement was issued:
“The FIA noted that it strongly held the view that the breach was unintentional and that there was not a deliberate attempt to circumvent the regulations.”
Losing the Lead
With the disqualifications, Max Verstappen, who won the race, has closed in on Plastri in the points standings.
Verstappen is now just 24 points behind Norris’s 390 points, tying with Plastri at 366 points.
A total of 58 points are still available in the upcoming races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and the winner for 2025 will be decided in the next two weeks.
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg were disqualified for skid issues during the Grand Prix in China and Bahrain.
The Circumstances
Leading up to races, constant modifications are made to maximize performance.
The McLaren team reportedly could not complete their second practice, hindering their data collection.
Weather altered the information from their last practice.
During the race, issues emerged, causing further violations and an additional disqualification.
With this knowledge, Norris was advised to adjust his driving to minimize skid damage.
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- Source: SCCGManagement.com