The aftermath of the Las Vegas Grand Prix has ignited a political firestorm within Formula 1, as McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been retrospectively disqualified from the race results. Race stewards cited excessive wear on the skid blocks – safety components designed to prevent cars from sliding uncontrollably – as the cause for the controversial decision.
Norris, previously classified in second place, now relinquishes those points, while Piastri’s fourth-place finish has been erased. This shift elevates Max Verstappen of Red Bull to the position of race winner, pushing Mercedes drivers George Russell and Ferrari’s Kimi Antonelli up the order.
While post-race disqualifications are not unprecedented, the timing and implications of this particular ruling have drawn intense scrutiny. A similar incident recently saw Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix in 2025 for the same skid block violation, highlighting a potential inconsistency in enforcement that is now being questioned.
The decision carries significant ramifications for the World Championship standings. Norris maintains his lead with 390 points, but his advantage over Verstappen and Piastri has narrowed considerably to just 24 points heading into the final two races of the season. This late-stage tightening of the championship battle raises concerns about the fairness and application of technical regulations, particularly given the potentially marginal difference in skid block wear that triggered the disqualifications. Critics are questioning whether the regulations are adequately defined and consistently applied and whether such retrospective penalties ultimately undermine the integrity of the competition and the celebration of genuine on-track performance. The FIA now faces mounting pressure to clarify the interpretations surrounding skid block regulations to prevent similar contentious incidents from shaping the outcomes of future races.