Lewis Hamilton finished the United States Grand Prix second while Charles Leclerc crossed the line in sixth, but both drivers were soon under investigation after their cars failed post-race checks
Lewis Hamilton has been disqualified from the United States Grand Prix and stripped of his podium finish.
The seven-time world champion had crossed the line second, just a couple of seconds off race winner Max Verstappen. And he collected his trophy on the podium as usual with the Dutchman and Lando Norris, who finished third.
However, around two hours after the end of the race, the FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer announced a potential issue with the Brit’s car. And Charles Leclerc was also referred to the stewards after his Ferrari, along with Hamilton’s Mercedes, failed post-race floor and plank checks.
Both teams were summoned to the FIA offices at the Austin track to plead their cases. But, because their cars did not comply with F1 technical rules, the stewards disqualified both from the race.
It implied that Hamilton had lost his podium position. As a result, Carlos Sainz drops to third place, giving Norris the opportunity to take over second. Everyone below Leclerc, who finished sixth on the road, was moved up two spots, and Sergio Perez jumps to fourth place.
According to a document published by the FIA, “During the hearing the team acknowledged that the measurement performed by the FIA Technical Team was correct and stated that the high wear on the skid pads was probably caused by the unusual combination of the bumpy track and the Sprint race schedule that minimized the time to set up and check the car before the race.
The Stewards note that 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. Therefore, the standard penalty for a breach of the Technical Regulations is imposed.”
The disqualifications also mean that Williams now has cause for joy after an unsatisfactory outcome. Alex Albon believed he had narrowly missed earning points, but he moved up to ninth place and scored two. Logan Sargeant, a rookie American teammate, finally earns his first Formula One point while competing on home soil.
Additionally, it significantly affects the drivers’ standings. Perez receives 12 points instead of 10 after moving up a position, and Hamilton forfeits the 18 points he would have earned for placing second.
So instead of seeing the Mercedes driver close the gap between them even further, it means the Mexican has more breathing space in the drivers’ championship. Team-mate Verstappen has already sealed the title, but Perez has more work to do to make sure of second spot.