Lando Norris raising points

F1 Penalty Points Post-Vegas 2025: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri Disqualified

Fahad Hamid

If you went to bed right after the checkered flag dropped in Las Vegas, you probably woke up to a completely different reality. In a twist that feels scripted by a cruel drama writer, the FIA technical delegates decided to turn on Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The championship battle was on its head long after the champagne had dried.

We need to talk about the absolute chaos that unfolded in the post-race inspection, and then we need to look at which drivers are skating on thin ice with their penalty points. Because let’s be honest, the 2025 season is refusing to go quietly into the night.

The McLaren Heartbreak: A Double DQ for Norris and Piastri

Oscar Piastri
Nov 22, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; McLaren driver Oscar Piastri (81) arrives for the Las Vegas Grand Prix drivers parade at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Before we get to the “bad boy” list, we have to address the elephant in the room. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been disqualified. Yes, both of them.

After a grueling race where Norris managed to secure second place and keep his title hopes alive against Max Verstappen, the technical delegates found that the skid blocks on both McLaren MCL39s were below the minimum 9mm thickness. It’s a technical infringement, black and white, with no wiggle room for “we tried our best.”

This is catastrophic for Norris. He was sitting pretty with a decent points gap, but this DQ wipes his P2 finish off the board. Verstappen, who actually won the race (and the fan vote for Driver of the Day), now sits level on points with Piastri and has closed the gap significantly. Norris is still ahead, but the breathing room is gone. It’s absolutely brutal.

The Penalty Points Breakdown: Who is in Trouble?

While the disqualification was a technical error, the penalty points system is all about driving standards. If a driver hits 12 points in a rolling 12-month period, they get a race ban. We already saw Kevin Magnussen sit one out earlier this year, so the threat is real.

As we head into the final two rounds, here is how the grid stacks up.

The Danger Zone: Ollie Bearman (9 Points)

Okay, someone needs to have a quiet word with Ollie Bearman. The rookie is racking up points like he’s trying to win a high score at an arcade. He is currently sitting at a terrifying 9 penalty points.

He is just three points away from a race ban. His rap sheet includes red flag infringements and causing collisions, including a recent scrap with Liam Lawson in the Brazil sprint. If Bearman breathes wrong in the next race, he might be watching the season finale from the hospitality suite.

The Frequent Flyers: Tsunoda, Stroll, and Lawson (7 Points)

It wouldn’t be a penalty points list without Yuki Tsunoda and Lance Stroll, would it? Both drivers are sitting on 7 points.

Tsunoda had a rough time in Brazil, colliding with Stroll (ironic), and he has a history of red flag overtakes. Stroll, meanwhile, is consistent in his inconsistency, with points for pushing people off track and clattering into others.

Then there is Liam Lawson. He’s also at 7 points. For a guy who hasn’t run the full season like the veterans, collecting that many points is honestly kind of impressive in the worst way possible. His incidents in Miami and Bahrain are still haunting his license.

The Championship Contenders

Here is the good news for McLaren fans (if there is any left): Norris is relatively safe regarding license points.

  • Lando Norris (3 Points): Despite the DQ heartbreak, his actual driving record is fairly clean. Norris only has 3 points on his license, mostly stemming from ignoring yellow flags in Qatar last year. Those expire in December, so Norris won’t be facing a ban unless he goes rogue in the next two weeks.
  • Max Verstappen (6 Points): The reigning champ is sitting in the middle of the pack. He has 6 points, picked up from scraps with Russell and Piastri. He’s not in immediate danger, but he can’t afford to be reckless.

The Rest of the Grid

  • Oscar Piastri (6 Points): Like Norris, his race was ruined by the skid block DQ, but his license took a hit recently in Brazil. He’s sitting on 6 points after colliding with Lawson and some erratic braking.
  • Kimi Antonelli (5 Points): The Mercedes prodigy is learning the hard way. He’s at 5 points after a messy Dutch GP involving Leclerc and Verstappen.
  • Alex Albon (5 Points): Albon has had a scruffy run, including a collision with Norris’s teammate Piastri in Azerbaijan.
  • Lewis Hamilton (3 Points): It’s been a miserable season for Lewis (“worst season ever” in his own words), but at least his license is safe. He has 3 points, largely from a tangle with Colapinto.
  • Gabriel Bortoleto (2 Points): The rookie made a massive error at the start of the Vegas GP, triggering a collision with Stroll. That earned him his first 2 points. Welcome to the big leagues, kid.

The Goody Two-Shoes

We have to give credit where it’s due. Fernando Alonso, Nico Hulkenberg, and Isack Hadjar are sitting at 0 points. In a season this chaotic, keeping your nose clean is a massive achievement. Alonso might be frustrated with the car, but at least he’s keeping it on the island.

What the Norris Piastri DQ Means for the Finale

The Las Vegas GP changed everything. The technical disqualification of Norris and Piastri has tightened the championship fight to a suffocating degree. While Norris doesn’t have to worry about a penalty points ban, the pressure is now at an all-time high.

Drivers like Bearman need to drive on eggshells, while the championship protagonists need to push to the limit without crossing the line. The next race is going to be absolute fireworks.

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