Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix due to a technical violation. After the night race in Sin City, both McLaren cars failed post-race technical inspections, prompting Norris and Piastri to face the stewards.
FIA scrutineers found that the planks beneath the McLaren cars were thinner than the required 9mm minimum at the end of the race. This indicated that the cars were running with a ride height below the legal limit, resulting in their disqualification from the final standings.
The disqualification has significant implications for the drivers’ championship race as Max Verstappen clinched victory in Las Vegas. With Norris and Piastri losing their results, Verstappen is now tied on points with Piastri and trails championship leader Norris by 24 points with two races remaining.
Following the race, both McLaren drivers attended a hearing with the stewards that commenced at 7:45 am UK time and lasted over an hour. The final decision confirming their disqualification was announced past 2 am local time, more than four hours after the Grand Prix concluded.
Despite starting on pole, Norris finished the race in second place after a fierce battle with Verstappen. Despite his efforts to defend his position, Norris ultimately slipped to third behind Verstappen and George Russell after overshooting a corner.
Prior to being disqualified, Norris expressed disappointment in his performance, acknowledging the lack of pace compared to Red Bull. He admitted to a mistake at turn one and recognized the superior speed of Verstappen’s Red Bull. Looking ahead to the upcoming races, Norris aims to bounce back and improve the team’s performance.
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