Las Vegas GP Shocker McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri Disqualified Impacting F1 Title Race

In a stunning turn of events at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, McLaren’s championship contenders, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, were disqualified due to technical violations after the race. This significant ruling alters the trajectory of the Formula 1 title race with just two races remaining in the season.

Disqualification Details

Lando Norris, who finished the race in second place, and teammate Oscar Piastri, who came in fourth, saw their results nullified due to excessive wear on their skid blocks. Norris’s front right and right rear skid blocks measured 8.88mm and 8.93mm, respectively, while Piastri’s readings were even lower, with some measurements falling below the mandated limit of 9mm.

Impact on Championship Standings

Following the disqualification, Norris still maintains a lead in the championship standings, holding a 24-point advantage over both Piastri and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The current points standings for the top three drivers are as follows:

• Lando Norris (McLaren): 390 points
• Oscar Piastri (McLaren): 366 points
• Max Verstappen (Red Bull): 366 points

With 58 points still available from the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix and the season finale in Abu Dhabi from December 5-7, the stakes are high. The disqualification has dramatically shifted Verstappen’s chances, providing him an unexpected advantage as he aims for a record-equalling fifth world title.

Technical Briefing and Team Defense

McLaren argued that the wear was potentially caused by unintended circumstances, such as unexpected porpoising effects. They cited disrupted practice sessions due to weather conditions as a factor that limited their setup opportunities. Despite this, the stewards deemed the explanations insufficient to overturn the disqualifications.

Key Drivers and Race Results

In the revised standings from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the results of the top ten are as follows:

The repercussions of this disqualification will resonate throughout the remaining races, particularly as McLaren looks to strategize for the upcoming events. F1 fans can anticipate the next contest, the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint weekend, which will provide further drama in the championship race.