Verstappen’s championship hopes revived after Las Vegas GP

November 24, 2025 Oliver Obel

What began as a celebratory night for McLaren in Las Vegas ended in a subdued, almost bewildered paddock atmosphere, after both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were thrown out of the final results in the early hours of Monday morning.

The ruling, issued long after most fans had left the Strip circuit, has tightened the championship picture far more than anyone expected.

According to the FIA’s post-race report — later highlighted by Reuters — both McLaren cars failed the mandatory plank-wear measurement that regulates ride height. Skid thickness on each car fell below the 9mm minimum allowed under Article 3.5.9, prompting FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer to refer the case to the stewards.

The FIA also confirmed the decision publicly in a statement on X

Ride height is one of the more delicate performance variables in modern Formula 1. Cars run low to the ground to maximise downforce, but too much bottoming-out grinds away the wooden plank beneath the floor.

That risk appears to have been amplified in Las Vegas, where bumps and cold track temperatures made setup choices especially tricky. Earlier in the season, Lewis Hamilton lost his Chinese Grand Prix result for a nearly identical violation — a comparison noted by BBC Sport.

A championship suddenly on edge

Before the exclusion, Norris had finished just behind race winner Max Verstappen, with Piastri a few spots further back. Their removal compresses the title fight significantly: both Verstappen and Piastri now sit 24 points behind Norris with two rounds left.

With Qatar hosting a sprint weekend — meaning up to 58 points are available, as AP News pointed out — the margin for error at the top has narrowed to almost nothing.

The revised standings also reshuffled the midfield order. Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman earned unexpected points for Haas, Lewis Hamilton climbed to eighth, and George Russell inherited second place.

Perhaps the most surprising promotion belonged to 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli, who ended up on the podium after originally finishing fifth.

McLaren accepts ruling, investigates cause

Team members appeared noticeably deflated as the story unfolded, and McLaren later issued statements from both drivers and team principal Andrea Stella. Norris called the decision “frustrating,” admitting the team “didn’t get that balance right today.”

Piastri echoed the sentiment, saying it was “disappointing to come away from this weekend with no points after an unfortunate disqualification due to skid wear.”

Stella went into greater detail, explaining that both cars suffered from unexpectedly severe porpoising — a violent bouncing effect that pushes the car into the track surface — which, along with minor floor damage discovered only after the race, increased wear on the plank.

He noted that the FIA acknowledged the breach was unintentional but emphasised that the team took responsibility at such a critical stage of the season.

With two races left and a championship now very much in flux, McLaren heads to Qatar with little margin for further technical missteps.

Sources: BBC, Reuters, AP