Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at risk of DSQ over plank wear
McLaren are in trouble with the FIA stewards after the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
McLaren face a double FIA investigation for both of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s cars following the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The rearmost skid of both Norris and Piastri’s McLarens are under scrutiny after being measured as less than 9mm - the minimum thickness required by TR Article 3.5.9 e).
FIA Technical Delegate Jo Bauer referred the matter to the stewards following post-race checks on the McLarens, and both cars are being investigated for an alleged breach of the regulations.
Recent history points to the McLarens being excluded from the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton was disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this year for the same breach.
Such a decision would have huge ramifications for the 2025 F1 title race.
If Norris and Piastri were both disqualified, Piastri and Max Verstappen would each be just 24 points behind the Briton heading into the final two races of the season.
Norris finished second behind Verstappen in Sin City, while Piastri was fourth.
Both McLarens under scrutiny
Sky Sports F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz first broke the news on his post-race Notebook.
However, he initially understood that only Norris's car was subject to an investigation.
“I've got to tell you that Lando's car is under investigation by the FIA,” Kravitz said before the FIA formally confirmed the investigation.
“I was just doing the end-of-race interview with Andrea Stella, we got moved away because car number four, Lando’s car, was being pushed back into the garage so that the FIA could do their normal checks.
“This was just the normal checks that the FIA did. Because Lando was told to lift and coast at the end for fuel, they are taking a special view of whether they can get the fuel sample out.
“Now I think that is in progress. It was just a random selection, as I understand, because they were just getting him down there and starting their random investigations for car number four. But I do believe that there are further investigations being done.”
Kravitz added: “Something is happening to Lando Norris’s car. Either it’s fuel, or because they were bringing it in, it could be plank wear as well, because that’s the usual thing they do when they bring the cars into the garage.
“We’ve seen people been excluded for outsized plank wear. So it might be skid block wear or plank wear.”
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella’s post-race press conference with the media was delayed amid the drama.
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