Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri faced a setback in their Formula One careers as they were disqualified from the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Initially, Norris finished behind Max Verstappen, while Piastri secured fourth place. However, both drivers were penalized due to a technical violation. Post-race inspections revealed that the planks under their McLaren cars were thinner than the mandated 9mm thickness, resulting in an illegally low ride height and their disqualification from the 22nd race of the 2025 season.
This disqualification marked the first in Norris and Piastri’s F1 careers, joining a small group of drivers who have faced similar penalties. Notably, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc also experienced disqualifications earlier in the season. The penalty now puts Verstappen on par with Piastri in points, with the championship leader Norris only 24 points ahead, setting the stage for an intense finale to the season.
In a separate incident, Nico Hulkenberg faced his first disqualification in 15 years at the Bahrain Grand Prix due to excessive skid block wear. Additionally, George Russell was disqualified from last year’s Belgian Grand Prix for being underweight, leading to Hamilton being declared the race winner. Esteban Ocon, now driving for Alpine, faced his only disqualification seven years ago for exceeding the fuel mass flow limit during a race.
Sky has announced a discounted Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the upcoming season, offering over 1,400 live matches across various leagues, including at least 215 live Premier League games. These developments add to the drama and excitement of the F1 season, as drivers navigate challenges both on and off the track.