The McLaren Racing Limited nightmare unfolded just hours after the 2025 Las Vegas Grand PrixLas Vegas Strip Circuit ended, when both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were stripped of their hard-earned podium finishes. The disqualification, confirmed at 11:20 PM UTC on November 22, 2025, came after FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer found the rear skid blocks on both MCL39 cars — #04 and #81 — measured just micrometers below the mandatory 9mm minimum thickness under Article 3.5.9 e). The difference? So slight, insiders say, it was "as small as a hair’s width." For a team that had looked unstoppable all weekend, it was a crushing, almost surreal end.
How a Few Micrometers Changed Everything
The skid block — a composite plank bolted to the underside of an F1 car — is designed to limit ground clearance and ensure cars don’t run dangerously low to the track surface. When it wears below 9mm, it’s assumed the car is running too close to the ground, potentially gaining aerodynamic advantage through excessive downforce. The FIA doesn’t allow leeway. Not even a tenth of a millimeter. And this time, both McLarens crossed that invisible line.
What made it worse was the context. Norris had driven a masterclass, holding off Red Bull’s Max Verstappen for most of the race. Piastri, starting ninth, had clawed his way into fourth with flawless tire management. Both were moments away from scoring vital championship points. But at 9:45 PM UTC, Nikolas Tombazis, FIA’s single-seater director, was spotted in the McLaren garage. By 9:30 PM, team principal Andrea Stella had canceled his post-race media session. The writing was on the wall.
"Unintentional, But Still a Violation"
The stewards didn’t mince words: "We strongly held the view that the breach was unintentional and that there was no deliberate attempt to circumvent the regulations." They even acknowledged McLaren’s defense — unexpected porpoising on the bumpy Las Vegas Strip, weather-cancelled track time on Friday, and abbreviated practice sessions that left engineers with little data to fine-tune the car’s ride height.
But here’s the brutal truth: FIA regulations don’t care about intent. Not here. Not ever. Sam Smith of The Race confirmed it: "There is no provision in the regulations or in precedent for any penalty other than disqualification." That’s why it echoes the 1986 Adelaide Grand Prix, where a similar technical ruling cost Nigel Mansell the title — and why it’s being compared to Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 Chinese GP disqualification, which also hinged on a 0.5mm skid block violation.
Championship Fallout: Verstappen Closes In, Antonelli Soars
The ripple effects were immediate. With Norris and Piastri stripped of 18 and 12 points respectively, Verstappen leapt from third to second in the standings — now just 24 points behind Norris’s revised total of 364. He’s tied with Piastri at 340. The title race, once looking like a Norris-Verstappen duel, now has three serious contenders.
And then there’s Kimi Antonelli. The 18-year-old Mercedes junior, who started 17th, inherited third place after overtaking Charles Leclerc in the final laps. It’s his first F1 podium — and it came not because of speed, but because of a technicality. "I didn’t even realize I was on the podium until my engineer shouted," Antonelli said afterward. "I just kept pushing. I didn’t know I’d been promoted until the podium ceremony."
McLaren’s Response: Apology, Investigation, and Focus
At 1:30 AM UTC on November 23, McLaren Racing Limited issued a statement that read like a funeral eulogy: "We apologize to our drivers, our partners, and our fans." CEO Zak Brown confirmed an internal investigation is underway — likely focusing on telemetry interpretation, ride height calibration, and whether the team’s simulation models failed to account for the unusual porpoising seen on the Las Vegas circuit.
"We didn’t get the balance right," Norris admitted in a quiet, resigned tone. "We pushed hard. We thought we’d managed it. Turns out, we didn’t." Piastri echoed it: "We’re always chasing performance. This time, we chased too close to the edge. Now we reset. Qatar and Abu Dhabi — we’ve won there before. We’ll make up for this."
Both drivers will now head to the Lusail International Circuit in Doha on November 29, 2025, and then to the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on December 7, 2025 — two tracks where McLaren has secured podiums in each of the last three seasons. It’s their last chance to salvage a championship campaign that looked destined for glory just 24 hours ago.
Why This Isn’t Just a Technical Glitch
This isn’t about a worn plank. It’s about the razor-thin margins of modern F1. Teams are now so optimized that a 0.2mm miscalculation in ride height can mean a 0.3-second lap gain. The problem? The FIA’s rules don’t allow for nuance. No warnings. No points deductions. Just disqualification.
It’s a system designed to prevent cheating — but in practice, it punishes error. And in a season where the grid is tighter than ever, one small mistake can erase months of work. McLaren’s engineers weren’t trying to break the rules. They were trying to win them. And they came agonizingly close.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why couldn’t McLaren fix the skid wear before the race?
McLaren couldn’t adjust the skid block because the wear occurs during the race — not before. The plank is designed to wear down predictably, and teams use telemetry and simulations to estimate how much it will lose over 57 laps. But the unexpected porpoising on the Las Vegas circuit — a violent up-and-down motion caused by aerodynamic instability — accelerated wear beyond projections. With no Friday practice due to rain, they had no real-world data to calibrate their models.
Has this ever happened to a top team before?
Yes — but never to a top-tier team in a title-deciding race. The last double disqualification was Marussia in 2014 for fuel flow issues. More recently, Ferrari had a car disqualified in 2021 for a rear wing irregularity, and Mercedes lost a win in 2022 over a similar skid wear issue. But McLaren is the first team since 2000 to lose two podiums in one race due to technical infringement — and the first since 2014 to have both cars disqualified.
Could the FIA have given a penalty instead of disqualification?
No. Article 3.5.9 e) is written as a "zero-tolerance" rule. The FIA has consistently upheld this stance since the 1990s. Even if a car is only 0.1mm under, disqualification is mandatory. Stewards have no authority to reduce the penalty, even if they believe it was accidental. This rule exists to prevent teams from exploiting flexible ride heights — but critics argue it’s too harsh for modern, unpredictable circuits like Las Vegas.
How does this affect the 2025 championship battle?
It completely reshapes it. Norris’s lead shrank from 46 to 24 points over Verstappen. Piastri, now tied with Verstappen at 340, is no longer in the top three. With only two races left, the title could come down to who scores the most points in Qatar and Abu Dhabi — and whether anyone else can capitalize on McLaren’s misfortune. Mercedes, with Antonelli on the podium, may now be seen as a wildcard.
What’s next for McLaren?
McLaren will conduct a full internal review of their ride height modeling, telemetry analysis, and pre-race setup procedures. They’re also expected to lobby the FIA for a review of the skid wear rule — especially for street circuits with extreme bumps. For now, their focus is on Qatar and Abu Dhabi, where they’ve finished on the podium in all three previous seasons. They need maximum points — and they need them fast.
