Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri experienced a setback in their Formula One careers as they were excluded from the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Norris finished behind Max Verstappen, while Piastri claimed fourth place initially. However, both drivers were disqualified due to a technical violation that led to their cars failing post-race inspections for having planks below the required thickness of 9mm.
This disqualification, which occurred during the 22nd race of the 2025 season, resulted in Verstappen equalizing points with Piastri, narrowing the gap to championship leader Norris by 24 points. This development sets the stage for an intense conclusion to the season.
This disqualification marked the first in Norris and Piastri’s F1 careers, joining a small group of drivers on the grid who have faced similar penalties. Earlier in the year, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc also faced disqualification in a separate incident at the Chinese Grand Prix.
In an effort to enhance viewer experience, Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the upcoming season, offering over 1,400 live matches, including Premier League and EFL games. Additionally, Sky will broadcast a minimum of 215 live Premier League matches next season.
The woes continued for Ferrari in China as Leclerc’s car was found to be under the minimum weight required, similar to Pierre Gasly’s Alpine car. Nico Hulkenberg faced his first disqualification in 15 years in F1 at the Bahrain Grand Prix due to excessive skid block wear.
In a surprising turn of events, George Russell was disqualified from the Belgian Grand Prix for being underweight, promoting Hamilton to the race winner. Esteban Ocon, now racing for Alpine, faced disqualification in Austin for exceeding the maximum fuel mass flow limit during the race.
The recent disqualifications highlight the intense competition and stringent regulations in the world of Formula One racing.