McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix after stewards ruled that the ride heights on both cars were below the 9mm regulation threshold.
Norris had finished second in the race, with Piastri in fourth. The disqualification promotes Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli onto the podium, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen takes the race victory.
McLaren appealed to the stewards, citing mitigating circumstances including poor weather, limited practice sessions, and shortened opportunities to test different ride heights. The team also suggested potential accidental damage to the floor may have contributed to the breach. However, the stewards confirmed that the rules allow no alternative to disqualification.
This ruling has major implications for the drivers’ championship. Lando Norris, who was set to lead by 30 points after the race, now leads by just 24 points. Oscar Piastri is also 24 points behind, while Verstappen, previously 42 points adrift, is now tied 24 points behind Norris with two races remaining in the season: the sprint and Grand Prix in Qatar, followed by the Abu Dhabi finale.
The disqualification sets the stage for a dramatic three-way fight for the 2025 Drivers’ World Championship, with Verstappen seeking his fifth consecutive title, and both McLaren drivers still in strong contention.
