Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have spoken out following their disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Norris finished second behind Max Verstappen, the race winner, while Piastri finished fourth. However, their cars did not pass the post-race technical checks due to excessive skid-block wear.
The FIA confirmed the reason for disqualification, stating that the excessive skid-block wear meant their results would not be counted. This development has tightened the title race with only two rounds remaining.
Norris now leads Piastri and four-time world champion Verstappen by 24 points before the upcoming race in Qatar and the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Norris expressed his frustration, acknowledging the issues with their car and the loss of valuable points. He emphasized the team’s commitment to delivering the best performance in the upcoming races.
Piastri also expressed disappointment over the disqualification, attributing it to skid wear issues. He emphasized the need to regroup, refocus, and strive for the best possible results in the final two rounds.
McLaren issued an apology to Norris and Piastri for the disqualification, acknowledging the breach of Technical Regulations regarding skid thickness. The team mentioned unexpected car behavior during the race, leading to the breach unintentionally. McLaren apologized to the drivers, partners, and fans, expressing disappointment in the outcome but maintaining focus on the remaining races.
FIA scrutineers found that the planks beneath the McLaren cars were below the required 9mm thickness at the end of the race, indicating an illegally low ride height and resulting in disqualification from the final classification.