Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri faced a setback in their Formula One careers as they were disqualified from the recent Las Vegas Grand Prix. Norris initially finished behind Max Verstappen, with Piastri securing a fourth-place result. However, a technical violation led to their disqualification as post-race inspections revealed that the planks under their McLaren cars were thinner than the required 9mm. This breach of regulations led to their exclusion from the 22nd race of the 2025 season, causing Verstappen to tie in points with Piastri with only three races left.
This incident marked the first disqualification for Norris and Piastri in their F1 journey, joining a small group of drivers who have faced similar penalties. Notably, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc also experienced disqualifications earlier in the year. Hamilton’s skid block thickness violation in China led to the erasure of his P6 finish, while Leclerc and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly were booted from the Chinese Grand Prix due to car weight issues.
In light of these events, Sky has discounted its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the upcoming season, offering a substantial savings and a wide range of live matches, including Premier League games. Leclerc’s underweight car in China added to Ferrari’s troubles, while Nico Hulkenberg faced his first disqualification after 15 years in F1 at the Bahrain Grand Prix due to excessive skid block wear. Additionally, George Russell’s victory in the Belgian Grand Prix was nullified when his car was found to be underweight, promoting Hamilton to the race winner position.
Esteban Ocon, now with Alpine, encountered his only disqualification seven years ago, while recently exceeding the maximum fuel mass flow limit during a race in Austin. These incidents highlight the challenges and consequences faced by drivers in the high-stakes world of Formula One racing.