FIA Disqualifies Hamilton and Leclerc Post-Race in Austin

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc // AFP

In a dramatic post-race development at the United States Grand Prix, both Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc faced disqualification following an inspection that revealed technical non-compliance.

The scrutiny, conducted by the FIA Technical team, unearthed irregularities after a thorough plank wear inspection post-race in Austin.

The issue was specifically highlighted in the Delegate’s Report, maintaining that: “The skids located in the area -825 ≥ XR ≥ - 1025 are found to be not in compliance with Article 3.5.9 e) of the 2023 Formula One Technical Regulations.” This immediate non-conformity led to both drivers being promptly referred to the stewards for further adjudication.

Hamilton's performance on the track was nothing short of stellar, as he clinched second place, relentlessly challenging the race winner, Max Verstappen, up to the very end. This Grand Prix saw Mercedes introduce their final significant upgrade of the year, featuring a new floor design, which had its debut in Austin. Conversely, Leclerc, who managed to secure the sixth position, narrowly outpaced George Russell's Mercedes, despite a strategic setback due to opting for a less advantageous one-stop strategy during the race's concluding phases.

Representatives from both the Mercedes and Ferrari teams presented their cases to the stewards. They argued that "the high wear on the skid pads was probably a result of the unique combination of the bumpy track and the Sprint race schedule that minimized the time to set up and check the car before the race."

Nevertheless, the Stewards expressed their position clearly, stating, "the onus is on the competitor to ensure that the car is in compliance with the regulations at all times during an event. In this particular case, the rear skid in the area defined in the Technical Delegate’s report was outside of the thresholds outlined in Article 3.5.9 e) of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations, which includes a tolerance for wear." Their decision underscored the imperative for teams to adhere to the regulations consistently throughout the racing event.

Here you can see a skid plank underneath an F1-car. This is from Guanyu Zhou’s car at Silverstone last season.

This ruling had a ripple effect on the race standings. Lando Norris ascended to second place, with Carlos Sainz reveling in his elevation to the coveted podium positions. Sergio Perez found himself in fourth, gaining a critical advantage over Hamilton in the ongoing tussle for second in the drivers’ championship.

The reshuffling continued down the line-up: George Russell made a leap from seventh to fifth, while Pierre Gasly advanced to sixth and Lance Stroll to seventh. AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda not only finished eighth but also clinched the bonus point for the race's fastest lap, marking a successful outing for the team.

Williams emerged as another team celebrating double points finishes, with Alex Albon moving up to ninth. In a remarkable turn of events, Logan Sargeant, racing on home ground, clinched his maiden F1 point, rounding off the top ten. This unexpected outcome underlines the unpredictable and ever-evolving nature of Formula One, where compliance, strategy, and performance converge on and off the track.