Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have spoken out following their disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Norris secured second place behind Max Verstappen, with Piastri finishing fourth. However, both drivers were disqualified due to their cars failing post-race technical inspections.
The FIA confirmed that excessive skid-block wear was the reason for the disqualification, nullifying their results and intensifying the championship battle with only two races remaining.
Norris currently leads Piastri and Verstappen by 24 points heading into the upcoming race in Qatar and the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Norris expressed disappointment, acknowledging issues with their car and focusing on delivering a strong performance in Qatar.
Piastri also expressed frustration over the disqualification, highlighting the need to regroup and maximize points in the final two rounds, where they have performed well previously.
McLaren issued an apology to Norris and Piastri, admitting a breach of Technical Regulations regarding skid thickness. The team cited unexpected porpoising during the race, leading to increased floor movement and unintentional skid wear.
FIA scrutineers discovered that the planks beneath the McLaren cars were below the minimum required thickness of 9mm, resulting in an illegal ride height and subsequent disqualification.
The team remains committed to the remaining races of the season despite the setback.