27 November 2025 | Formula 1
What happened in Las Vegas
McLaren issued a statement after the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Both of the team's cars were disqualified. The floor panel had too much wear and tear. As a result, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were not included in the results.
On paper, Norris finished second and Piastri was in fourth place. Due to the disqualification, Norris lost the six points he could have gained on Piastri. This allowed Max Verstappen to draw level with Piastri in the battle for second place. Norris's lead over Verstappen shrunk from 42 to 24 points.
Main cause: porpoising and a faulty sensor
McLaren says that aerodynamic oscillations, or porpoising, caused premature wear on the board. These vertical fluctuations were greater than expected. The teams had little dry practice time in Vegas. As a result, McLaren did not anticipate this degree of porpoising.
In addition, McLaren lost a sensor on Piastri's car. That sensor measures how close the car gets to the asphalt. Without that data, the team was unable to properly track the movements of Piastri's car. Norris's telemetry was still working, which made monitoring easier.
Actions during the race
The team noticed that this was becoming a problem in the opening laps. Later in the race, Norris slowed down considerably and coasted. He tried to avoid scraping the kerb. This measure worked sometimes, but not everywhere.
McLaren states that braking down speed in some corners helped, but in other places it actually hindered progress. The combination of the car's operating range and the characteristics of the circuit rendered many actions ineffective.
What McLaren had already done and what remains unclear
McLaren claims that it did not take any excessive risks with the ride height. For qualifying and the race, the team even added extra margin compared to the settings used in free practice. However, that margin was negated by unexpected, large vertical oscillations.
It is not yet entirely clear why McLaren encountered so many problems in Vegas. Street circuits are inherently bumpier, which makes them more susceptible to plank wear. However, other teams did not receive any penalties during inspections, not even cars from the top ten. McLaren is continuing to investigate what exactly triggered the issue.
- Sensor on Piastri's car failed, resulting in incomplete telemetry.
- Porpoising caused high plank wear.
- Norris attempted to reduce speed to minimise damage.
- Other teams were not disqualified.
Consequences for the championship and team policy
The double disqualification has direct consequences for the championship. Verstappen benefited and is now closer to Norris. Piastri also lost out in practical terms because both cars were set back.
Questions are being raised as to whether McLaren will have to choose which driver to protect if both remain in contention for the title. Team principal Andrea Stella said there is no reason to do so as long as the numbers do not require it. According to the team, the drivers will be free to race in Qatar.
Looking ahead: Qatar and lessons for Woking
The race in Qatar at Lusail is a completely different circuit to Vegas. McLaren therefore does not expect a repeat of the same problem. Nevertheless, the situation provided useful information about the car's working range and porpoising behaviour.
Stella praised the technical team in Woking for their quick response and investigation. McLaren intends to use the new insights to prevent similar surprises in the future.
In summary: a sensor malfunction on Piastri's car prevented proper monitoring. Large vertical oscillations caused unforeseen plank wear. This led to two disqualifications and changed the championship standings.
27 November 2025 | Formula 1
Active aero and the plank wear problem
In 2026, Formula 1 cars will be equipped with fully active aerodynamics. The wings will switch between two positions: more downforce in corners and less drag on the straights. Drivers will switch manually in special activation zones designated by the FIA.
The rules allow for the straight-line stabiliser to be switched off in unsafe conditions. This applies, for example, when there is heavy rain. With too little downforce on wet road surfaces, a car can become unstable and dangerous.
Unexpected risk: plank wear
Teams discovered an unintended problem. When cars with high downforce drive on straights, the forces press the car harder onto the road surface. This increases the risk of wear or damage to the wooden plank (skid block). Plank wear results in penalty points and even disqualification. This was recently demonstrated by the double disqualification of a team.
The combination of higher fuel and energy costs due to drag is already a point of concern. However, wear and tear on the wing is a much bigger problem. Teams and the FIA discussed the subject at length in technical and sporting committees.
How the FIA intends to resolve the issue
FIFA officials (FIA) and teams are working on practical adjustments. One solution that is now taking shape is to shorten activation zones in unsafe conditions, such as rain.
In dry conditions, an activation zone can be the entire length of a straight. When it rains, that zone becomes much shorter or disappears altogether. Less time in the straight means that the car is subjected to the greatest vertical forces for a shorter period of time. This reduces the risk of the plank buckling.
- Shorter activation zones in wet conditions.
- Ability to completely eliminate upright position in dangerous situations.
- Option to switch only the front wing element in the rain, to reduce the pressure on the front section.
Practical and ongoing consultation
The FIA has indicated that several options have been discussed. The details are still being finalised before the rules are officially adopted. Teams and technical management want a solution that is both safe and technically feasible.
The issue has become even more urgent because there have already been several cases of excessive paddle wear this season. In addition to the most recent disqualification, there were earlier incidents involving other teams during the Chinese and Bahrain Grand Prix respectively.
Ultimately, the sport seeks to strike a balance between safety, fair competition and technical innovation. The proposed shorter activation zones should make this possible without undermining the core of the new 2026 rules.
23 November 2025 | Formula 1
What happened
McLaren were surprisingly disqualified after the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Both cars were disqualified due to excessive wear on the floor panel. The disqualification came as a shock. At the end of the race, only Lando Norris seemed to be at risk. His teammates and spectators initially thought it was a fuel management issue.
Why it went wrong
In the final sessions, Norris repeatedly eased off the throttle and coasted. This appeared to be fuel saving. Radio messages from the team suggested that the fuel seemed “okay” later on. However, this turned out to be a misleading clue.
McLaren used coded instructions. The aim was not so much to save fuel. The aim was to prevent damage to the plank. By applying less throttle at the end of the straights, the rear of the car was less likely to scrape against the asphalt. This meant that the underside of the car would scrape less hard against the asphalt.
Why Piastri should not have done the same
Oscar Piastri did not receive similar instructions. This suggests that his car did not have the same problem. Piastri may have appeared to be at less risk because he often drove in DRS. This meant that his wing was under less stress. During the race, McLaren realised that Norris’ car was indeed at risk. Their assessment of how narrow that margin was turned out to be incorrect.
Team response and aftermath
The team provided little explanation after the result. The planned media briefing by team boss Andrea Stella was postponed and later cancelled. McLaren apologised and announced an internal investigation. Norris said that the final management of the race was affected by problems with their car. The federation ultimately disqualified both McLarens.
Championship implications
The impact is significant. Due to the disqualification, neither driver scored any points. Norris’ lead has shrunk to 24 points over both Piastri and Max Verstappen. With two rounds remaining — Qatar with a sprint and Abu Dhabi — there are still 58 points up for grabs. That makes the championship a lot more exciting.
Key points
- Cause: excessive wear on the shelf under the car.
- Instructions to Norris were coded and intended to minimise plank wear, not to save fuel.
- Piastri did not receive similar instructions, probably because his car was at less risk.
- McLaren underestimated how tight the margin was. That miscalculation cost both cars the result.
- Sporting: Norris’ lead is now much smaller and the championship is wide open again.
Conclusion
It was a costly mistake by McLaren. The decision to have Norris shift down and coast was intended to save material. However, the assessment of the wing wear proved to be incorrect. The consequences are significant for both the race and the title battle. McLaren is now investigating exactly what went wrong.
23 November 2025 | Formula 1
Aston Martin considers leadership change
Aston Martin is considering a change at the top. Christian Horner is seen as a possible successor. Andreas Seidl and Mattia Binotto are also on the list. Owner Lawrence Stroll will make the final decision.
Candidates
The names mentioned are specific:
- Christian Horner — former team principal of Red Bull.
- Andreas Seidl — former McLaren boss.
- Mattia Binotto — current Chief Operating Officer at Audi.
The role of Andy Cowell
Andy Cowell is set to leave his role as team principal. He will take on a different position within Aston Martin, focusing more on power unit and engine development. Aston Martin is embarking on a new partnership with Honda for the powertrain. Cowell joined the team at the end of last year. Previously, he headed up Mercedes' engine department in Brixworth, where he contributed to several world championships.
Reasons for the change
Designer Adrian Newey changed the way the team worked. According to sources, this led to differences of opinion with Cowell. These differences played a role in the decision to move Cowell. The team wants to focus more on design and engine development.
What happens next?
Lawrence Stroll is now assessing who best fits the new setup. No final decision has been made yet. The outcome will determine the direction of Aston Martin's future in Formula 1.
23 November 2025 | Formula 1
Hamilton deeply disappointed after Vegas race
Lewis Hamilton calls this season «the worst ever». He said this after a tough race in Las Vegas. He managed to climb up to tenth place, but he didn't feel anything about it. He was visibly upset.
What happened on the track
Hamilton gained many places on the first lap. According to him, it was fairly straightforward. He stayed out of trouble and overtook two Haas cars.
After that, things slowed down. He spent a long time chasing Nico Hülkenberg. Hülkenberg eventually finished ninth. Hamilton was unable to keep up with Hülkenberg's pace in the final stint. He was also almost overtaken by Ocon's Haas. In addition, he said that there was a shift in balance after contact with Alex Albon.
No satisfaction despite recovery
The recovery to tenth place did not give him any positive feelings. He said that the performance was not at all satisfying. According to Hamilton, the team has already tried everything with the 2025 car. It is not working as expected. He added that, given his own form, Ferrari has no real chance of finishing second in the constructors' championship.
Team response and context
Team boss Fred Vasseur responded calmly. He pointed out that starting from P19/P20 already makes the race difficult. Vasseur thought Hamilton had a great first part of the race. In the second stint, there were problems with the medium tyres. He called for everyone to stay calm and discuss everything in the debrief.
Leclerc: personally good, result frustrating
Charles Leclerc finished the weekend in sixth place, 0.2 seconds off the top five. Leclerc said it was his best race of the season in terms of personal performance. He felt that every lap was like a qualifying lap. There were few mistakes. Still, P6 is frustrating for him.
- Hamilton: calls this season the worst of his career.
- He recovered to P10, but felt no satisfaction.
- Problems: balance issues after contact with Albon and tyre problems in the second stint.
- Vasseur: starting far back made it difficult; debrief needed.
- Leclerc: strong personal performance, yet disappointed with P6.
The atmosphere in the media corner was sombre. Hamilton even had to deny that he wanted to leave F1. The team and drivers will now continue to discuss behind the scenes what needs to change.
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