McLaren F1 deal with bizarre issue after shock P19 & P20 finish

McLaren's Piastri and Norris with concerned expressions in front of an edited US-flag backdrop — Photo: © IMAGO

Las Vegas Grand Prix

McLaren deal with bizarre issue after shock P19 & P20 finish

Not everything went the papaya team's way

Chris Deeley

Saturday 22 November 2025 13:55

Make us your Google favorite

McLaren had an odd end to a session at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Friday, with their cars in the garage and their mechanics donning rubber gloves.

With the track rapidly drying in a damp final practice session, most teams were out setting increasingly quick times on dry tyres - except the papaya pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Norris came in with seven minutes left of the session, with his mechanics all quickly putting on elbow-length rubber gloves before touching his car, suggesting an electrical fault on the number four machine.

Article continues under video

Whatever the problem, it didn't seem to be affecting him when he came out two and a half hours later for qualifying - ending the evening with a magnificent final lap to plant himself on pole by a comfortable margin.

Piastri hit by technical bug

Piastri, meanwhile, came in to end his FP3 early a few minutes after his team-mate, with the team reporting a loss of telemetry.

The team didn't report a repeat of those issues for qualifying either, but the Australian's story didn't end as happily as his team-mate's.

While the second McLaren showed good pace at various points in qualifying, Piastri's final lap in the rapidly-improving conditions appeared to be disrupted by the Racing Bull of Liam Lawson.

Already fighting for his championship life with a 24-point deficit to Norris, Piastri will now start all the way back in fifth, leaving him with a mountain to climb to close the gap with just three races to go.

RESULTS: Las Vegas Grand Prix times and grid positions

F1 McLaren Las Vegas Grand Prix