Why Was McLaren Disqualified in Las Vegas? 🏁

In a dramatic turn of events at the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, McLaren F1 team’s drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were both disqualified following post-race technical checks. The disqualification stemmed from a breach of the FIA's technical regulations, specifically concerning the plank wear of the cars.

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The Infamous Breach: Plank Wear Violation

During the race, McLaren’s cars were found to have excessive plank wear on the underfloor of the car, violating the regulations which stipulate a minimum thickness for the skid block after the race. According to the regulations, the plank must remain at least 9 mm thick after the race, and both McLaren cars fell short of this limit.

  • Norris’ plank measured 8.88 mm, while Piastri’s was even thinner at 8.74 mm to 8.90 mm.

  • This breach of the technical standard led to both cars being excluded from their finishing positions. 

What Is the “Plank” in F1? 

In Formula 1, the plank is a wooden skid block mounted beneath the car’s floor. It’s designed to ensure that the car’s ride height doesn’t become too low, which could lead to aerodynamic benefits that contravene safety rules.

  • The plank is typically 10 mm thick when installed, and it must remain at least 9 mm thick after the race.

  • If the plank wears down too much, it’s a sign that the car has been running too low, which may be illegal under F1’s technical regulations. 

How Did McLaren React to the Disqualification? 

McLaren responded to the disqualification with an official statement expressing regret over the technical failure. The team highlighted that they did not intentionally breach the rules but explained that the bumpy nature of the Las Vegas circuit and porpoising issues led to the excessive wear of the plank.

  • Despite these explanations, the FIA stewards upheld their decision to disqualify both cars, emphasizing that the technical rules must be strictly adhered to.

  • McLaren also confirmed that an internal investigation would be conducted to understand how this issue occurred, especially so late in the season. 

How This Affects the Championship 

The disqualification had a significant impact on the Drivers' Championship standings. Originally, McLaren's Norris had finished 2nd and Piastri had finished 4th, but both results were wiped out following the decision.

Impact on Norris

  • Norris was previously leading the Drivers’ Championship by a narrow margin, but with no points earned from Las Vegas, his lead was cut down to just 24 points ahead of Max Verstappen. 

  • This puts a lot of pressure on Norris for the final races, especially with Verstappen closing the gap.

Impact on McLaren’s Constructors' Bid

  • McLaren’s disqualification also affects their Constructors’ Championship aspirations, although their position is still solid due to strong performances earlier in the season.

  • The team now has to perform exceptionally well in the last two races to hold their ground against the top teams.

What’s Next for McLaren? 

The McLaren team is now focused on rectifying the issue with their cars ahead of the final races. McLaren is determined to investigate the cause of the excessive plank wear and ensure such mistakes do not happen in the future. They will also be analyzing how their car behaves in different conditions to prevent any more technical breaches.

Conclusion

McLaren’s disqualification at the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix due to excessive plank wear has major consequences for their championship hopes. The team is now focused on investigating the cause of the breach and ensuring it doesn’t happen again. As the season progresses, both McLaren and their drivers will need to recover and make the most of the final races to secure their positions in the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.