Jos Verstappen Sounds Alarm Over McLaren’s FIA Disqualification After Las Vegas GP.
Jos Verstappen has openly criticised McLaren after the team suffered a costly double disqualification at the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix—an error he labelled a “huge blunder” that could have dramatic implications for the championship battle.
McLaren, who have been the most consistent team of the season and recently secured the constructors’ title, initially celebrated strong results under the lights of Las Vegas. Lando Norris crossed the line in second place behind race winner Max Verstappen, while Oscar Piastri finished fourth after a spirited drive. But several hours after the chequered flag, the FIA confirmed that both McLaren cars had failed post-race inspection.
A Costly Technical Breach
According to FIA technical chief Jo Bauer, the wooden planks fixed underneath the MCL39s had worn beyond the legal limit. Formula 1’s regulations require the plank to start at 10mm thickness, and cars are permitted only 1mm of wear throughout a race. Any measurement below 9mm is an automatic breach, resulting in disqualification.
The rule exists to prevent teams from running their cars too low to the ground for aerodynamic advantage. Excessive wear indicates that the car has been bottoming out more than allowed—a sign that ride height may have been set too aggressively.
Although plank-wear disqualifications have occurred more frequently since the introduction of ground-effect cars in 2022, McLaren have largely stayed clear of such issues in 2025. Their sudden and simultaneous breach for both cars therefore raised eyebrows across the paddock.
Jos Verstappen’s Concern: A Preventable Mistake?
Jos Verstappen, father of race winner Max Verstappen, did not hold back when reacting to the FIA decision. Speaking to Formule1.nl, he questioned how McLaren could have allowed such a fine-margin technical error to slip through their calculations—especially given the high-stakes title fight unfolding.
“This is a big mistake by McLaren, a huge blunder,” Jos said. “Why would you take such a risk? Why push the limits to that extreme? Maybe it was an honest oversight, but maybe the car doesn’t perform the way they want unless they run it that low.”
His comments suggest a suspicion that McLaren might be relying heavily on a low-ride-height setup to extract performance—something the team themselves have not confirmed.
Did McLaren Know the Risk?
Radio communication from the race added another layer of intrigue. Late in the Grand Prix, Norris was instructed to “cool off a little,” with McLaren perhaps concerned about tyre temperatures, battery use, or the aggressive nature of the circuit’s bumps. Jos Verstappen believes this may indicate the team was aware—at least partially—that the risk of plank wear existed.
However, engineering experts across the paddock have pointed out that predicting plank wear to exact millimetres during a street race is nearly impossible. Tracks like Las Vegas feature uneven surfaces, tight corners, high-speed straights, and heavy braking zones—all of which can dramatically influence how much the underside of the car scrapes against the asphalt.
Even a slightly altered driving line, a gust of wind during braking, or a small miscalculation in tyre pressure can change wear levels enough to push a car over the limit. For this reason, most analysts believe McLaren’s breach was more likely an unfortunate misjudgement than a deliberate gamble.
High-Pressure Championship Implications
While Jos Verstappen questioned the team’s judgment, the reality remains that Norris had every reason to push flat-out. He entered the Las Vegas weekend as the drivers’ championship leader, with both Piastri and Max Verstappen close behind. The difference between P2 and a more conservative finish could decide the title.
Unfortunately for Norris, the FIA ruling means that his runner-up finish—along with Piastri’s P4—has been completely erased. The disqualification has dramatically tightened the championship picture.
Following the Las Vegas result adjustment, the standings now read:
- 1st – Lando Norris: 390 points
- 2nd – Oscar Piastri: 366 points
- 3rd – Max Verstappen: 366 points
What was once a comfortable margin has evaporated. Norris now leads both his teammate and Red Bull’s Verstappen by just 24 points, with only two races remaining.
A Title Battle Intensifies
McLaren’s error has not only drawn criticism but also intensified the pressure heading into the Qatar Grand Prix. Every point now carries enormous weight, and the Las Vegas setback could become one of the defining moments of the 2025 season.
Whether the disqualification was a technical oversight, a strategic miscalculation, or an unavoidable consequence of a bumpy street circuit, McLaren must now regroup swiftly. The championship momentum has shifted, and their rivals—Max Verstappen in particular—are ready to capitalise.
