Why people are talking so much (and so negatively) about a conspiracy in the F1 World Championship after Norris’ disqualification in Las Vegas
The Formula 1 World Championship was dramatically reopened in Las Vegas — and where else could such chaos unfold? In the city where the roulette wheel never stops spinning, Lando Norris secured pole position and finished second, putting himself in a safe position. Happy and carefree before stepping onto the podium, he spoke about his race and the 42-point lead he held with two rounds to go. For the first time, he could almost feel the World Championship title in his pocket. But less than two hours after the Grand Prix, everything changed.
A team error, combined with a stroke of bad luck, resulted in the disqualification of both Norris and Oscar Piastri. Zero points for Lando — zero on the roulette wheel — and an unexpected jackpot for Max Verstappen. In the heat of the moment, many began recalling past controversies and infamous F1 storylines. The sport has always been full of them, which is why talk of conspiracies erupted almost immediately. But this time, at least, that was not the case.
F1 conspiracies and Verstappen’s almost halved deficit
There is a famous saying: thinking the worst may be bad, but it often turns out right. That phrase fits perfectly in situations like this — and Formula 1 has produced countless similar episodes, including the infamous Crashgate scandal, which has resurfaced due to Felipe Massa’s ongoing legal case. Real or imagined conspiracies have been a recurring theme for years. But not here.
Even so, plenty of fuel was thrown onto the fire. Several observers hinted — subtly or otherwise — that the McLaren penalty came with suspicious timing, conveniently reopening a championship that Norris essentially had in his pocket: 42 points ahead with just 58 available. Now the picture looks different. Even with his advantage reduced to 24 points over Verstappen, Norris still holds control of his destiny. With third place in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, plus fourth in the Sprint, he would still become champion by a single point.
Human error was certainly present, although technically speaking, calling it that might not be entirely accurate. Norris’ disqualification happened because the wooden plank under his McLaren was worn down by one-tenth of a millimetre. One-tenth of a millimetre! The now-famous plank — essentially a wooden board mounted under the floor of the cars — must measure 10 mm and may wear down by no more than 1 mm, reaching the legal minimum of 9 mm. Anything below that means automatic disqualification. Norris’ McLaren was illegal by less than a millimetre.
The FIA report stated: “The thickness of the skid block on car number 4 (Norris) was measured and was below the minimum thickness of 9 millimetres. The relevant measurements were: front right 8.88 mm, rear right 8.93 mm.”
The F1 title fight is now wide open: everything will be decided in Abu Dhabi
These are incredibly tiny margins. McLaren and Lando Norris certainly have every reason to feel unlucky. A fraction more wear on one side, a fraction less on the other — but the rule is absolute, and the FIA cannot compromise. For that reason, McLaren decided not to appeal, knowing it would have been rejected with 100 percent certainty.
Talking about a conspiracy in favour of Max Verstappen, or a desire to artificially reignite the F1 title fight, is entirely misguided. What is certain is that, if the championship really goes down to the final round in Abu Dhabi, fans will witness a rare final-race showdown — something that has happened only three times in the last twelve seasons. The last unforgettable episode involved a highly controversial decision by then-race director Michael Masi, which helped Max Verstappen secure his first World Championship. And perhaps this upcoming ‘Thrilla in Abu Dhabi’ could deliver his fifth consecutive title, putting him level with Michael Schumacher’s historic record. Although in the last three title-deciding finales (2014, 2016, 2021), a different driver won each time.
Conspiracy theories make for great clicks and heated debates, but sometimes the truth is far more boring: a piece of wood wore down 0.12 mm too much on a freezing night in the desert, and the rulebook did exactly what it was written to do.
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