McLaren's 'Coded' Radio Message to Norris 'Exposed Las Vegas Rule Breach to FIA'

It has been suggested that McLaren’s radio messages to Lando Norris at the Las Vegas Grand Prix were 'essentially coded' and a 'red herring' as the fallout continues over a dramatic weekend in F1.

With two races and a sprint remaining in the 2025 campaign, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen are all in contention to win this season's world championship.

Norris currently sits 24 points ahead of McLaren teammate Piastri and reigning world champion Verstappen, who picked up his sixth win of the season in Las Vegas to keep his slim title chances alive.

It was an eventful race, to say the least, as both McLaren drivers were disqualified for excessive plank wear.

The fallout has continued over the past 24 hours, with Norris, Piastri and Andrea Stella, McLaren's team principal, releasing statements on the matter. Everything is under the microscope from Sunday's events.

It was a weekend to forget for McLaren. Image credit: Getty

In fact, a so-called 'red herring' theory has emerged after Norris and Piastri were told by their team to lift and coast at certain stages of the race.

Many onlookers, including Sky Sports’ David Croft, thought the directive was a fuel conservation measure, with McLaren’s team radio to Norris mentioning “the fuel looks okay now” at one point.

With all that being said, it has now been suggested that McLaren was aware of excessive plank wear and had attempted to intervene in a coded manner, according to The Race's Scott Mitchell-Malm.

“The lift-and-coast messages and fuel implications turned out to be a red herring,” he said. “It seems McLaren’s messages were essentially coded and that Norris was having to lift and coast but not to manage fuel — to try to protect the plank.”

McLaren's team radio messages included no mention of plank wear.

Lando Norris pictured during the Las Vegas GP. Image credit: Getty

The disqualification of Norris and Piastri promoted 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli into third position, giving him back-to-back podiums. Mercedes driver George Russell also moved up from third to second.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella makes feelings clear on Las Vegas weekend

Speaking after what was a disastrous race for McLaren, team principal Stella apologised to their drivers.

"We apologise to Lando and Oscar for the loss of points today, at a critical time in their Championship campaigns after two strong performances from them all weekend," he said.

The Italian also stressed the breach was not an attempt to gain an advantage as he shifted the blame to "mitigating circumstances".

He added: "As the FIA noted, the breach was unintentional, there was no deliberate attempt to circumvent the regulations, and mitigating circumstances also existed."