When Lando Norris crossed the line second at the Las Vegas Grand PrixLas Vegas Strip on Sunday night, he thought he’d sealed a championship-defining result. Instead, by 10:30 PM UTC, his podium finish vanished — along with 39 points — after McLaren was disqualified for violating F1’s plank wear regulations. The shockwave didn’t just ripple through the paddock. It rewrote the entire 2025 title fight.
How a Technical Breach Upended the Championship
The FIA stewards ruled that both Norris’s and Oscar Piastri’s MCL39s had skid blocks worn below the 9mm legal minimum, with the rearmost plates measuring just 8.1mm and 8.3mm respectively. It wasn’t a case of cheating. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella admitted the issue stemmed from "excessive, unforeseen bouncing" — a symptom of the car’s aerodynamic sensitivity on the bumpy Las Vegas circuit. The FIA’s report called it unintentional, even noting mitigating circumstances. But in F1, intent doesn’t matter. Only compliance does.Before the disqualification, Norris had 390 points, Piastri 366, and Max Verstappen — who crossed the line first — sat at 341. Now, Verstappen inherits Norris’s second-place points, pushing him to 366. That ties him with Piastri. Norris leads by just 24 points. With 58 points still available across the final two races — Qatar Grand PrixLusail International Circuit and Abu Dhabi Grand PrixYas Marina Circuit — the title is wide open.
McLaren’s Unforeseen Bounce Problem
Stella didn’t hide his frustration. "We apologise to Lando and Oscar," he said at the post-race press conference. "Two brilliant performances, ruined by something we didn’t see coming." The team’s technical analysis suggests the car’s ground clearance was too low on the uneven asphalt of the Strip, causing the rear plank to scrape more than anticipated. It’s not the first time a team’s been penalized for plank wear — Ferrari was hit in 2022 for similar reasons — but never with the championship on the line like this.Compounding the drama: Norris managed his hard tyres exceptionally well, holding off Piastri’s fresher set for 48 laps. He was racing smart. He was racing clean. And now, he’s left wondering how his team missed the signs. "We pushed to find every tenth," Norris told reporters. "But we didn’t find the right balance. That’s on us. Now we focus on Qatar. No looking back."
Verstappen’s Unexpected Lifeline
For Red Bull Racing, it’s a gift wrapped in irony. Their RB21 had been the class of the field all season, but Verstappen’s dominance had been overshadowed by Norris’s consistency. Now, with two drivers tied at 366 points and the Briton leading by just 24, the pressure shifts. Verstappen, a four-time world champion, now has a real shot at a fifth consecutive title — something no driver has ever done.Team principal Laurent Mekies stayed measured. "We didn’t win this. McLaren lost it," he said. "Our job is to keep pushing. We don’t need luck. We need performance." His words were calm, but behind closed doors, Red Bull’s strategists are already mapping out scenarios — including whether to let Verstappen pass Piastri in Qatar if the McLaren drivers are battling each other.
A Ghost from 2007: Räikkönen’s Shadow
Three-time BAFTA winner and F1 analyst James Allen didn’t mince words. "This feels like 2007 all over again," he told Autosport. That year, McLaren led the championship with three races to go. Then came the infamous Singapore scandal, and Kimi Räikkönen — driving for Ferrari — won the final two races to steal the title. Norris, then a 17-year-old karting prodigy, watched from the sidelines. Now, he’s the one living it."McLaren hasn’t won a drivers’ title since 2008," Allen added. "And now, with their own car failing them at the worst possible moment, they’re staring at the same ghost they thought they’d buried. This isn’t just about points. It’s about legacy."
What’s Next? The Final Two Races
The Qatar Grand Prix on November 28 will be a pressure cooker. The Lusail circuit favors high-downforce cars — and McLaren’s MCL39 excels there. But if Norris and Piastri start fighting each other, Red Bull will pounce. Mercedes, in fourth with 276 points, is out of contention, but George Russell could still play spoiler.Meanwhile, Ferrari faced its own controversy. Charles Leclerc finished fifth on track — but was handed a five-second penalty for blocking Norris on the final lap. The timing? Suspicious. Leclerc was clearly instructed to stay within five seconds of Norris, ensuring the Briton wouldn’t gain extra points from the penalty. He did — beating Leclerc by just 0.1 seconds. Critics say Ferrari played politics. Team boss Frédéric Vasseur remains silent.
Constructors’ Standings: McLaren’s Quiet Dominance
While the drivers’ title hangs in the balance, McLaren holds a commanding 756 points in the Constructors’ Championship — 358 ahead of Mercedes. They’ve already secured second place in the standings, their best since 2012. But that won’t soothe the pain if Norris loses the drivers’ crown.Stella knows it. "We’ve built something special," he said. "But championships are won by drivers. And right now, we’ve let our drivers down."
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were Norris and Piastri disqualified if the breach was unintentional?
F1 regulations are strict: if a car’s skid block wears below 9mm, it’s a disqualification — regardless of intent. The FIA acknowledges unintentional breaches, but still enforces the rule to prevent teams from exploiting aerodynamic setups that compromise safety or fairness. McLaren’s bouncing issue wasn’t a loophole; it was a miscalculation. The rule exists to ensure all cars maintain minimum ground clearance for safety and parity.
How does this affect Lando Norris’s championship chances?
Norris now leads with 390 points, but only by 24 over Verstappen and Piastri. With 58 points left, he can’t afford a single DNF or poor qualifying. His tyre management in Las Vegas proved he can race smart — but now he must also manage pressure. A win in Qatar could seal it. A failure to score could hand the title to Verstappen, who has more race-winning experience under pressure.
Could McLaren prioritize Norris over Piastri in the final races?
Yes — and they may have to. McLaren has never had to choose between two title contenders since 2008. If Piastri is ahead of Norris in Qatar, the team may be forced to instruct him to let Norris pass — a scenario that could fracture team morale. Stella has said they’ll "race fair," but with a 17-year championship drought on the line, team orders may become unavoidable.
What’s the historical significance of this moment?
This is the most consequential technical disqualification since the 2007 Singapore Grand Prix scandal. Back then, Renault’s race manipulation cost McLaren the title. Now, McLaren’s own car failed them — and it’s costing them the title again. James Allen called it "a cruel echo." If Norris loses, it won’t just be a missed opportunity — it’ll be a defining chapter in McLaren’s modern history.
Will the FIA change the plank wear rules after this?
Unlikely. The plank rule is designed to prevent teams from running dangerously low ride heights to gain downforce. While the Las Vegas circuit’s bumps were extreme, the rule itself is sound. Instead, teams may now adjust their setups for bumpy circuits — or push for softer materials. The FIA will likely issue guidance, but not overhaul the regulation. This is a team error, not a rule failure.
How does this impact Red Bull’s legacy?
Winning a fifth consecutive title under these circumstances would be historic — but also controversial. Verstappen’s team didn’t earn the points; McLaren lost them. Still, F1 rewards results, not morality. If Verstappen wins, it’ll be his fifth title — and Red Bull’s fourth consecutive constructors’ crown. The narrative will be complex: brilliance vs. misfortune. But in the record books, it’ll just say: "Champion: Max Verstappen."