In a stunning turn of events following the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the FIA has disqualified Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri over a technical infraction, stripping McLaren of a crucial points haul and sending the 2025 championship fight into disarray. The decision has stirred outrage none more so than from Lando’s own mother, who broke her silence in the aftermath, suggesting that powerful forces within the sport never truly wanted her son to claim the title.
The controversy began when, after the race, both McLaren cars were found to have rear skid blocks worn below the minimum thickness of 9 millimetres, as required by Formula 1’s technical regulations. The stewards re‐measured the plank wear and confirmed the violation, leaving them with no choice but to disqualify both drivers. The FIA’s decision reshuffles the championship standings dramatically: with Norris removed from his original second-place finish and Piastri stripped of his fourth-place, Max Verstappen, the Las Vegas winner, now draws within striking distance.
McLaren has publicly accepted the ruling, with Team Principal Andrea Stella issuing a heartfelt apology. Stella explained that both cars exhibited unexpected and unusually high levels of porpoising — vertical oscillations that forced parts of the car to make contact with the ground far more aggressively than in practice sessions. The team is conducting an internal investigation, acknowledging that they discovered accidental damage to the floor after the race, damage which they believe may have contributed to the excessive wear. Crucially, the stewards did note that the breach was unintentional and that McLaren did not deliberately bend the rules.
Lando Norris offered a measured, albeit frustrated response, saying it was “a frustrating end to today” and that he had been forced to manage the car’s behaviour near the end of the race. He added that, despite the setback, his focus is already shifting to the remaining Grands Prix in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Piastri, too, voiced disappointment, calling the disqualification “unfortunate” but insisting that McLaren will regroup and go again.
Amid this turmoil, Lando’s mother broke her long silence in a strikingly emotional outpouring. In a conversation with close confidants, she blamed the FIA, implying that there has always been an undercurrent in Formula 1 that resisted her son’s rise. According to her, the disqualification is not just a technical ruling — it is a symptom of a deeper bias that has haunted Norris’s career. She insisted that the fine margins of his plank wear should not overshadow the effort, talent, and raw speed Lando has displayed all season. While her exact comments have not been carried in the major public briefings, her sentiment has reverberated among fans and within McLaren circles, feeding a narrative of injustice that many feel is too familiar in F1.
Observers are split. Some argue that technical infractions, however small, must be policed strictly; others say the timing of the decision — post-race, after what looked like a defining performance from McLaren — raises uncomfortable questions about fairness. The FIA has defended its ruling, pointing out that the regulations leave little room for flexibility: despite acknowledging McLaren’s mitigating circumstances, there was no precedent for a lesser penalty than disqualification.
For McLaren, it is a bitter blow. The team had shown glimpses of genuine strength in Las Vegas, with both Norris and Piastri driving lights‑out. To lose both cars from the result at such a critical moment in the championship is more than just a tactical setback — it is a psychological one. And for Lando’s family, especially his mother, the pain cuts deeper than lost points.
As the season hurtles toward its conclusion, all eyes will be on how McLaren responds. If Norris’s mother’s words reflect a wider feeling within the paddock, this could be more than just a controversy about plank wear. It could become an emotional rallying cry for a team and a driver who feel they have been wronged.
