McLaren team principal Andrea Stella didn’t sugarcoat it after a bruising night in Las Vegas. He issued a blunt apology to both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who were dramatically disqualified from the Grand Prix after finishing second and fourth on the road.
Norris, the championship leader, had crossed the line behind only Max Verstappen, while Piastri delivered another sharp drive to fourth. But post-race scrutineering told a different story: the skid blocks on both McLarens were found to be below the minimum permitted depth.
The result? A double disqualification and a major swing in the title fight.
#F1 A word from Andrea Stella (McLaren TP) after the #LasVegasGP double DSQ. #MsportXtra pic.twitter.com/ibaqm1PRql
— #MsportXtra © (@MsportXtra)
November 23, 2025
“We apologise to Lando and Oscar for the loss of points today, at a critical time in their championship campaigns after two strong performances all weekend,” Stella said in a team statement.
According to Stella, McLaren were blindsided.
“Both cars experienced unexpected, high levels of porpoising not seen in practice, which led to excessive contact with the ground,” he explained.
The team also discovered “accidental damage” on both cars after the race, which may have further increased floor movement.
“As the FIA noted, the breach was unintentional,” Stella added — small comfort on a night that cost both drivers dearly.
Norris, who started from pole but lost the lead to Verstappen at Turn One, had been managing his car late on and looked set to leave Vegas with a healthy 30-point cushion over Piastri. Instead, that lead shrinks to 24 points, and Verstappen is suddenly level with Piastri, both just 24 behind.
With 58 points left on the table across Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the maths is simple: Norris can seal the title in Qatar if he outscores both Verstappen and Piastri by two points over the sprint and the Grand Prix.
(with AFP inputs)
