McLaren at risk of Las Vegas GP disqualification

McLaren has been summoned to the Formula 1 stewards because both of its cars are in an alleged breach of excessive plank wear rules after the Las Vegas Grand Prix. 

Both McLaren cars of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have failed to meet the thickness requirement of the rear skid block, which usually results in disqualification. 

It is in relation to Article 3.5.9 e) of the 2025 F1 technical regulations which states “the thickness of the plank assembly measured normal to the lower surface must be 10mm ± 0.2mm and must be uniform when new”.

“A minimum thickness of 9mm will be accepted due to wear and conformity to this provision will be checked at the peripheries of the designated holes,” the Article adds. 

This comes after Norris finished runner-up to Max Verstappen in Vegas, with Piastri crossing the line in fourth behind third-placed George Russell.

Should a disqualification happen, it would be the fifth and sixth of this year in total - three of which came at round two in Shanghai as the cars of Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly were both 1kg underweight.

Leclerc’s Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton was also thrown out of the China results due to excessive wear on his rear skid block.

Two races later Nico Hulkenberg was disqualified in Bahrain because his Sauber’s rear skid block failed to meet the minimum thickness requirement.

So the last time that happened before Vegas was the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, when George Russell lost his victory because his Mercedes was 1.5kg underweight in post-race scrutineering.

That handed victory to then team-mate Hamilton, who also lost a podium through disqualification the year before at the United States Grand Prix. It came after his Mercedes had excessive wear on his rear skid block.

More to follow

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