Although Max Verstappen crossed the line first at the Las Vegas GP, Lando Norris was likely the happiest driver at the chequered flag. The British driver looked to have extended his lead over Oscar Piastri to 30 points – a massive deficit with just two races left.
Despite Verstappen’s best efforts, it seemed as though this year’s World Championship would be beyond him.
However, this season’s script is on the verge of being completely re-written. McLaren are under multiple investigations by the FIA, and a disqualification of both Norris and Piastri is a realistic possibility.
Norris’ fuel sample, both McLaren summoned for plank wear
Although Norris managed to finish second on track, his race was not without complications. The #4 car was losing three and a half seconds per lap in the final stages of the race with a fuel-related issue.
It is understood that Norris was forced to lift-and-coast at an extreme rate to avoid running out of fuel. On paper, it was a success that he avoided a DNF.
Unfortunately for the Championship leader, the story does not end here. Every car must provide the FIA with a sufficient fuel sample at the end of a race.
Considering McLaren’s rather desperate fuel situation in the final laps, it seems likely they will fail to provide an adequate sample for Norris.
Indeed, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella’s media sessions after the race have been postponed. FIA personnel were spotted in the McLaren garage post-race, as the papaya outfit erected barriers to limit media visibility.
Despite these efforts, it does not require huge guess-work to understand the situation. Should there not be enough fuel in Norris’ car, he could be disqualified.
Critically, this is not the only disqualification threat for the Woking-based outfit. Both Norris and Piastri have been summoned to the stewards for excessive plank wear.
This was the FIA Technical Delegate’s report in a recent document:
“The skid wear of car numbers 81 and 04 was checked. The rearmost skid was measured on both cars according to the team’s legality documents submission in accordance with TD039 M, item 1.2 b) i).
“The measured thickness was less than 9 mm on both cars, which is the minimum thickness required by TR Article 3.5.9 e).”
Ferrari saw both Hamilton and Leclerc disqualified at the Chinese GP for this same violation. It is almost certain that McLaren’s duo will be met with the same fate.
Verstappen back in the title race
It should be noted that after the Brazilian GP, there was plenty of discussion about plank wear. A report from Japanese outlet as-web.jp, some teams were suspected of having found a loophole to keep their plank wear within the legal threshold.
The idea being circulated was that some teams found a way for their titanium plates to absorb heat and expand – therefore avoiding penalisation.
Whilst nothing more came of this reporting at the time, it is worth keeping in mind as the FIA’s investigation looms. Should McLaren be officially declared guilty, it will have a huge impact on this season.
The first and most obvious consequence is that Verstappen would be joint second in the standings. He would be within striking range of Norris and ahead of Piastri, a stunning turn of events.
Perhaps more importantly though, a disqualification might force McLaren to be more conservative with plank wear in upcoming rounds. Give the importance of floor clearance in how these cars perform, it could make a massive difference.
Fine margins often decide world titles, and Andrea Stella’s team might be forced to re-think their calculations and sacrifice some lap-time in the final two rounds.
Main photo: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images (Red Bull Content Pool)
