The FIA were forced to change the rules for the Las Vegas Grand Prix after Red Bull pointed out a loophole being exploited by their rivals.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, the Formula One grid will compete in one of the most anticipated races on the 2025 calendar, the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Following a thrilling qualifying session in brutal wet conditions, championship leader Lando Norris secured pole position for the race, with McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri in fifth and reigning champion Max Verstappen in second.
The 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix will mark just the third time that Formula One has raced on the infamous strip, with Mercedes’ George Russell winning last year and Verstappen picking up a victory in the maiden race.
Given the fact that the Vegas Grand Prix is so new to the race calendar, it’s seen several adjustments over the year, including one major rule change that the FIA had to implement ahead of last year’s race.
Lando Norris will start on pole in the 2025 Las Vegas GP. (Image: Kym Illman/Getty Images)
Ahead of the first practice sessions for the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Red Bull issued an official complaint to the FIA, Formula One’s governing body, regarding a loophole in the rules that Mercedes, Ferrari and Haas were exploiting.
The Red Bull team complained about the use of protective plates over the skid blocks underneath several cars, claiming that they meant that several teams were in breach of the regulations.
Skid blocks are placed underneath all Formula One cars and are often worn down when drivers run over abrasive kerbs during a race weekend, particularly if the car runs lower to the ground.
In order to maximise downforce, F1 teams want their cars to be as low to the ground as possible, forcing the FIA to impose a rule that states that the skid block can only show 1mm allowance of wear after a session.
Should a car exceed this wear, they will be disqualified from the race, as was the case with both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at the 2023 United States Grand Prix.
But, due to the protective plates installed by some teams ahead of the 2024 Vegas Grand Prix, the FIA decided to impose a technical directive outlawing the use of such plates over skid blocks ahead of the start of the race weekend.
Max Verstappen secured his fourth World Drivers’ Championship after last year’s Vegas Grand Prix. (Image: Kym Illman/Getty Images)
Red Bull had flagged the issue with the FIA after the Brazilian Grand Prix, with the organisation deciding to act swiftly and impost the new rule ahead of the next race.
McLaren and Red Bull, who were fighting for the Drivers’ Championship last season, were among the only teams unaffected by the rule change.
