Just hours after crossing the finish line in second place, Lando Norris learned his Las Vegas Grand Prix result had vanished. So did Oscar Piastri’s fourth-place finish. Both McLaren drivers were disqualified on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at 1:30 a.m. local time — not for a crash, not for a dangerous move, but because the wooden skid plank under their McLaren Racing Limited MCL39s had worn down to less than 9mm. It’s the kind of technicality that feels almost cruel in a sport where milliseconds define legacies. But in Formula 1, rules are rules — even when no one meant to break them.
The Skid Plank That Changed Everything
The Las Vegas Strip Circuit had delivered one of the most thrilling races of the 2025 season. Norris, leading the championship by 30 points over Piastri just hours earlier, had driven a flawless race to finish second behind Max Verstappen of Oracle Red Bull Racing. Piastri, chasing his first podium since Monza, was thrilled to finish fourth. But the FIA’s post-race inspection, conducted at the technical parc fermé near the Las Vegas Convention Center, revealed something no one saw during the race: the rearmost section of the skid plank on both cars measured at 8.7mm and 8.5mm — just below the 9mm minimum mandated by Article 3.5.9 of the technical regulations.
"It wasn’t a case of cheating," said FIA Technical Delegate Jo Bauer in the official report. "The wear pattern suggests gradual erosion from normal track contact, not deliberate lowering. But the regulations don’t allow for exceptions. If it’s under 9mm, it’s disqualified. No ifs, no buts."
A Championship That Turned on a Millimeter
Before the disqualification, Norris led the Drivers’ Championship with 390 points. Piastri sat at 360. Verstappen, who won the race, was at 351 — a distant third. After the DQs, Norris still led… but now only by 24 points. Piastri and Verstappen were tied at 366. And here’s the twist: Piastri remains second in the standings because he has more race wins (four) than Verstappen (three) this season. That’s the tiebreaker.
"It’s surreal," Norris told reporters after the hearing. "I thought I’d left here with breathing room. Now it’s a three-way fight with two races left. It feels like we’ve been punched in the gut — and we didn’t even see it coming."
McLaren’s Team Principal, Andrea Stella, stood by his drivers. "We’ve analyzed the telemetry, the track data, the setup logs — there’s no evidence of intentional tampering. We accept the FIA’s decision, but we’re disappointed this kind of technicality, not performance, decides the championship."
Why the Skid Plank Matters
The skid plank isn’t decorative. It’s a 10mm-thick wooden block mounted beneath the car’s floor, designed to prevent teams from running dangerously low to the ground. Lower ride height = more downforce = faster lap times. By wearing it down, teams effectively gain an aerodynamic edge — even if unintentionally. The FIA has used this rule since the 1990s to ensure fairness. In 2007, Kimi Räikkönen lost a podium finish in China over a similar violation. In 2019, Ferrari was fined for skid plank wear, though not disqualified. But this is the first time in over a decade that a double DQ of this magnitude has occurred at the season’s climax.
"It’s a silent killer," said former FIA technical director Pat Symonds. "Teams push the limits every weekend. The plank wears. They monitor it. But in a street circuit like Las Vegas — with those bumpy curbs and uneven asphalt — it’s a perfect storm. McLaren didn’t fail because they’re sloppy. They failed because the track was brutal, and the rule leaves no room for mercy."
What’s Next: Qatar and the Final Countdown
With only two races left, the 2025 championship has been flipped on its head. The 2025 Qatar Grand PrixLusail International Circuit on November 29–30 is now the most critical race of the season. The track’s high-speed straights and abrasive surface could favor Red Bull’s downforce-heavy package — or punish teams struggling with tire wear. Then comes the finale at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on December 6–7.
Verstappen, now tied with Piastri, has the momentum. He’s won five of the last eight races. Norris, meanwhile, must now fight not just for points, but for psychological resilience. "I’ve been in this position before," he said. "But never like this. Never with your own teammate and your closest rival tied for second, and you’re the one everyone expects to win."
McLaren’s Strategic Nightmare
McLaren’s internal championship strategy — built around Norris leading and Piastri playing support — has collapsed. With both cars disqualified, the team lost 25 championship points in one night. That’s more than half the gap between first and second. Now, they must decide: do they prioritize Norris’s title bid, or give Piastri a freer hand to chase Verstappen? The team has not yet clarified its race strategy for Qatar.
"We’re not going to tell our drivers to hold back," Stella said. "We’re going to race. But we’re also going to redesign the skid plank monitoring protocol — and fast."
For now, the spotlight is on Qatar. And for the first time since March, the Drivers’ Championship is truly open.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the skid plank violation happen if McLaren didn’t cheat?
The skid plank wears down naturally over a race due to contact with the track surface, especially on bumpy street circuits like Las Vegas. McLaren’s car setup was within legal ride height limits during the race, but the plank’s rear section eroded slightly beyond the 9mm minimum during the 50-lap event. The FIA confirmed no intentional modification — just extreme wear from track conditions. The rule doesn’t distinguish between intentional and accidental violations.
Why is Oscar Piastri ranked higher than Max Verstappen despite being tied on points?
Formula 1 uses race wins as the first tiebreaker after total points. Piastri has four victories in 2025 (Miami, Monaco, Silverstone, Monza), while Verstappen has three (Bahrain, Singapore, Las Vegas). Even though they’re tied at 366 points, Piastri’s higher win count places him second in the standings. This is the same system used since 2002.
Could McLaren appeal the disqualification?
No. The FIA’s sporting regulations state that technical infringements under Article 3.5.9 are non-appealable. The stewards’ decision is final, and the FIA has explicitly ruled out any precedent for leniency, even in cases of unintentional violations. McLaren’s statement confirmed they accepted the ruling without appeal — a rare move that underscores the strength of the regulation.
What does this mean for the Constructors’ Championship?
McLaren Racing Limited’s lead in the Constructors’ Championship has shrunk from 42 points to just 14 over Oracle Red Bull Racing. With both cars disqualified, McLaren lost 25 points — while Red Bull gained 25 from Verstappen’s win. The gap is now tight enough that Red Bull can overtake McLaren with a 1-2 finish in either Qatar or Abu Dhabi. The title battle has shifted from drivers to teams.
Has this kind of disqualification ever happened before in a title-deciding race?
Yes — but never this late in the season. In 2013, Sebastian Vettel was disqualified from the Brazilian Grand Prix for a fuel flow violation, which handed the title to Lewis Hamilton. In 2021, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were both penalized for track limits, but not disqualified. The Las Vegas DQ is the first time two frontrunners from the same team have been erased from results with only two races left — making it one of the most dramatic championship swings in F1 history.
What changes might McLaren make before Qatar?
McLaren is reportedly redesigning the skid plank mounting system to distribute wear more evenly and adding real-time wear sensors to monitor thickness during the race. They’re also considering raising the ride height slightly in Qatar to reduce pressure on the plank — even if it costs a few tenths of a second per lap. The priority now is survival, not speed.