Liputan6.com, Jakarta The Formula 1 world was shocked by a crucial decision in November 23, 2025.
The McLaren team, with both drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, were officially disqualified from the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix after a post-race technical inspection revealed significant regulation violations in their MCL39 car.
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This double disqualification not only wiped out valuable points earned by Norris and Piastri, but also drastically changed the dynamics of the 2025 Formula 1 world championship battle.
Previously, Norris had finished second and Piastri fourth, but these results were now completely annulled.
The McLaren team apologized to its drivers, partners, and fans for the loss of points at a crucial moment in the season.
Shocking Technical Violations
McLaren's disqualification stemmed from the discovery of serious technical violations on both MCL39 cars.
After the race, an FIA inspection revealed excessive wear on the cars' rear skid blocks.
The FIA Technical Regulations, specifically Article 3.5.9, stipulate a minimum skid block thickness of 9mm.
However, measurements on Norris's car showed a thickness as low as 8.88mm, while Piastri's car recorded 8.93mm.
As reported by the F1 official website, The stewards' document stated that the skid blocks on both cars were "measured and found to be below the minimum thickness of 9mm specified under Article 3.5.9 of the Technical Regulations."
"The rear skids were re-measured in the presence of the Stewards and the three McLaren representatives, and those measurements confirmed that the skids did not comply with the regulations. The relevant measurements were even lower than those measured originally by the Technical Delegate."
Although McLaren argued that the wear was caused by unforeseen porpoising and weather conditions that limited testing, the FIA stood by its decision.
Major Impact on the Title Race
McLaren's disqualification has major implications for the 2025 Formula 1 world championship race.
Prior to the incident, Lando Norris led the championship with 408 points, followed by Oscar Piastri with 378 points, and Max Verstappen in third place with 366 points.
With the loss of all points from the Las Vegas GP, Norris and Piastri's standings plummeted significantly.
Max Verstappen, who won the race, now sits level on points with Oscar Piastri (366 points) and only 24 points behind Lando Norris (390 points).
This situation makes the remaining two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi crucial deciders.
This drastic change in the standings has reignited the title race, which had previously seemed dominated by McLaren.
Now, Verstappen has a great opportunity to overtake both McLaren drivers and claim the world championship.
Team Apology and Racer Reaction
Following the disqualification decision, McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella offered his sincere apologies to Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and all team partners and fans.
Stella acknowledged that losing points at such a crucial moment in the championship was extremely disappointing.
The McLaren team immediately launched an internal investigation to understand the cause of the car's behavior, which resulted in skid block wear.
They will analyze the effects of accidental damage to both cars, which is suspected to have caused increased floorpan movement.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri also expressed their disappointment.
"I don't know what the issues were. The team just told me there were some problems and they were telling me to back off. So that's something I'll go and speak to them about in a bit," said Norris post-race and prior to the disqualification.
"I think first lap was eventful to say the least and then a couple of mistakes after that which didn't help," said Piastri post-race prior to the stewards' decision.