McLaren faced a significant setback at the Las Vegas Grand Prix when both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified due to a technical infringement involving the wear on their cars' skid blocks. This miscalculation by the team has not only cost them valuable points but also introduced unnecessary pressure as the Formula 1 season heads into its final two races.
Norris and Piastri originally finished second and fourth respectively behind race winner Max Verstappen in Nevada. These were solid results that would have helped McLaren maintain a comfortable margin in the drivers’ championship standings. However, the FIA’s post-race inspections revealed that the skid blocks on both cars had worn beyond the permitted 9mm limit, leading to their disqualification. This ruling dramatically altered the championship dynamics, allowing Verstappen to narrow the gap significantly. After the disqualification, Verstappen moved back into contention, trailing Piastri by just 24 points, and closing the gap on Norris as well.
This sudden tightening of the championship race has created an unnecessarily tense atmosphere for McLaren, with two races remaining and a total of 58 points still available. Although Norris remains in the lead, the margin is no longer comfortable. Any mistake—whether it be a driving error, an accident, mechanical failure, or another technical issue—could see Verstappen capitalizing in the season’s decisive finale in Abu Dhabi. This scenario seemed highly unlikely just weeks earlier. At the Dutch Grand Prix at the end of August, Verstappen was sitting 104 points behind Piastri, making the recent developments all the more shocking.
Had the disqualification not occurred, Norris would have entered the next race in Qatar with a 30-point lead over Piastri and a 42-point advantage over Verstappen. This would have provided a much stronger buffer heading into the final rounds of the championship. Instead, McLaren’s error has eroded that lead and injected uncertainty into what had been a promising title campaign.
McLaren has acknowledged mitigating factors that contributed to the skid block wear, though they accept these do not justify the breach. Teams strive to run their cars as close to the ground as possible to maximize aerodynamic efficiency, carefully adjusting the ride height based on circuit characteristics such as speed, surface texture, and bumpiness. These adjustments are refined throughout a race weekend, with practice sessions playing a crucial role in gathering data and finalizing the setup before qualifying.
Unfortunately for McLaren, the Las Vegas weekend was disrupted by two red-flag stoppages during the second practice session, which curtailed their ability to complete the usual race simulations. This lack of data hampered their understanding of the optimal ride height for the track. Compounding the issue, the final practice session took place in wet conditions, which affect aerodynamic behavior differently from dry runs—especially in terms of downforce generation—further complicating setup decisions.
During the race, the team also encountered unexpected bouncing and bottoming of the car floor, a phenomenon linked to the ground-effect aerodynamic regulations currently in place. This bouncing likely accelerated the wear on the skid blocks beyond what was anticipated. All these factors combined to push the cars over the regulatory limits, culminating in the double disqualification.
It appears McLaren were aware of how close they were to breaching the limit. Late in the race, Norris was instructed to adopt a “lift and coast” driving style—easing off the throttle before the end of straights—to reduce wear on the skid block. While this strategy is often associated with fuel saving, in this case, it was intended to minimize damage to the car’s floor. Norris himself hinted at technical issues in a statement released by McLaren, acknowledging that race management decisions in the closing stages were driven by concerns over the car’s condition, which unfortunately led to their disqualification.
This episode raises difficult questions for McLaren. How did such a fundamental error occur when other teams faced similar conditions without breaching the regulations? McLaren’s car has been one of the strongest on the grid this season, and the team was in a solid position in the championship. Had this issue arisen earlier in the year, there would have been time to address and rectify it. The timing, on the other hand, could hardly be worse, especially given that Verstappen and Red Bull were under greater pressure to push limits in their efforts to recover a large points deficit.
Despite the setback, Norris still holds the advantage and can clinch the championship with a strong performance in the upcoming Qatar