Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have spoken out following their disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Norris claimed second place behind Max Verstappen, while Piastri finished fourth, but both drivers were disqualified due to their cars failing post-race technical inspections.
According to the FIA, excessive wear on the skid blocks was the reason for disqualification, nullifying their results and shaking up the championship standings with just two races remaining. Norris now holds a 24-point lead over Piastri and Verstappen heading into the upcoming race in Qatar and the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
After the race, Norris expressed his frustration, acknowledging issues with their car that led to the disqualification. Piastri also expressed disappointment, emphasizing the need to regroup and perform well in the final two races.
McLaren issued an apology to Norris and Piastri for the disqualification, citing unexpected issues during the race that caused the skid thickness to fall below the required minimum. The team assured that there was no intentional rule violation and pledged to focus on the remaining races.
FIA inspectors found that the skid planks under the McLaren cars were below the mandated thickness, indicating a potential breach in ride height regulations and resulting in their disqualification from the race results.