FIA Scrutiny Looms Over Norris’s Austrian GP Win Amid Plank Wear Concerns
Lando Norris’s impressive victory at the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix may be under threat, following concerns raised by Sky Sports F1 analyst Anthony Davidson regarding possible violations of FIA technical regulations. While Norris led McLaren to a spectacular one-two finish, questions now arise over whether the car was compliant with plank wear rules — a key regulation that has previously caused high-profile disqualifications in Formula 1.
Norris, who has been in strong form and is closing the gap to teammate Oscar Piastri in the championship standings, dominated the race with a commanding drive at the Red Bull Ring. However, post-race analysis on Sky Sports F1 sparked debate when Davidson highlighted visual anomalies observed during the race — specifically, a trail of dust consistently seen beneath Norris’s car. According to Davidson, this could be a sign of excessive plank wear, a serious potential breach of FIA technical regulations.
The plank, a wooden insert fixed underneath the car’s floor, is designed to limit how low a Formula 1 car can run. It prevents teams from gaining an aerodynamic advantage by lowering ride height beyond safe limits. The FIA enforces strict limits on how much material can be worn away from the plank over the course of a race. If a car exceeds the permissible wear, disqualification is automatic — as seen in past races, such as the 2023 U.S. Grand Prix, where both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified for similar issues.
Speaking during his breakdown on the Sky Pad, Davidson noted: “That plume of dust you could see during the race — it looked like it was coming from the resin plank underneath Lando’s car. It caught my attention multiple times. While it’s common to see wear marks, this particular situation looked more severe.” He emphasized that while his observations aren’t proof of any infraction, they certainly warrant closer inspection by the FIA.
Davidson’s concerns do not indicate that an official investigation is underway, and no formal protest has been lodged by rival teams. However, the FIA typically performs post-race scrutineering on a random basis or based on any irregularities they suspect. If Norris’s car is selected for inspection and found to have worn down the plank beyond the legal threshold, the result could be overturned regardless of how dominant his performance appeared on track.
The potential fallout could be significant. A disqualification would not only rob Norris of a crucial win but also impact the championship picture, especially with McLaren gaining momentum in recent races. For a team that has shown rapid improvement and is now posing a genuine challenge to the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari, losing points due to a technical infringement would be a severe setback.
Davidson concluded by saying, “Perhaps I’m being overly cautious, but these are the kind of details that often slip under the radar until it’s too late. If the FIA decides to examine that plank, the results could change everything.”
For now, Norris and McLaren remain officially in the clear. The FIA has yet to release any technical reports or bulletins indicating irregularities with car legality after the Austrian Grand Prix. However, with the zero-tolerance stance the FIA has historically taken on technical breaches, even minor violations can result in disqualification — and history shows that results are not immune to post-race reversals.
As fans await confirmation, one question hangs heavy in the air: will Lando Norris’s hard-fought Austrian GP win stand — or could a hidden detail underneath the car rewrite the story of the race entirely?
