What was supposed to be a glittering triumph under the neon lights of Las Vegas has exploded into one of the biggest scandals of the 2025 Formula 1 season. In a stunning and brutal decision, the FIA disqualified BOTH McLaren drivers — Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri — wiping out a dream result in seconds.
From champagne-ready celebrations to total devastation, McLaren’s Las Vegas Grand Prix collapsed in spectacular fashion.
💥 From Double Glory to Total Disaster
McLaren crossed the line believing they had secured a sensational double top-four finish:
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Lando Norris: P2
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Oscar Piastri: P4
The garage was euphoric. The championship looked secure.
Then the FIA arrived.
Within hours, technical inspectors discovered a fatal flaw:
👉 Both McLaren cars failed the skid block thickness test.
Under Article 3.5.9 of the technical regulations, the minimum rear skid block thickness is 9.0 mm.
McLaren’s readings?
❌ Below the limit on both cars.
No warnings.
No penalties.
Automatic disqualification.
🧨 The Rule That Ended Everything
This wasn’t a grey-area judgment call.
The FIA ruled that excessive plank wear — caused by McLaren’s ultra-aggressive ride height — violated one of the sport’s strictest regulations. The punishment is absolute:
🏁 Disqualified from the race
🏆 Results erased
📉 Championship points GONE
Trophies were handed back.
The classification was rewritten.
George Russell was suddenly promoted to the podium.
McLaren’s Las Vegas miracle was officially dead.
⚠️ How McLaren’s Strategy Backfired
The root of the disaster lies in McLaren’s bold — and now catastrophic — design philosophy.
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The MCL39 was run extremely low to maximize ground effect
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The Las Vegas street circuit, with its uneven surface, brutalized the skid blocks
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A recent FIA ban on auxiliary skid devices left teams with zero margin for error
McLaren gambled.
Las Vegas collected.
📉 Championship Earthquake
The consequences are enormous.
With those points erased:
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Norris’ title lead is suddenly under threat
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Piastri’s championship hopes take a massive hit
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Rivals like Max Verstappen are right back in contention
What looked like McLaren’s season to lose has turned into a wide-open title fight.
One technical miscalculation may have undone an entire year of dominance.
😶 Inside McLaren: Shock, Silence, and Panic
Inside the McLaren garage, disbelief turned into damage control.
Engineers are questioning:
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Why wear projections failed
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Whether ride-height targets were too aggressive
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And how both cars crossed the same red line
This wasn’t bad luck.
This was systemic risk — and it blew up in public.
🔥 A Brutal Reminder From the FIA
Las Vegas delivered a ruthless lesson:
In Formula 1, innovation without compliance is failure.
Millimeters matter.
Margins are merciless.
And the FIA shows no mercy — not even to championship leaders.
⏳ WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
McLaren now face:
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A tighter title fight
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Relentless scrutiny from rivals
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And zero room for error in the races ahead
The question haunting the paddock is simple:
👉 Was Las Vegas a freak disaster… or the moment McLaren’s season began to unravel?
One thing is certain:
The 2025 championship just changed — violently. 🏁🔥
