Grand Prix, Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have been eliminated from the US Grand Prix. Their cars were examined by the FIA Technical team after the Austin race, and following a plank wear inspection, abnormalities were discovered. The skids in the area of -825 XR – 1025 were deemed to be in violation of Article 3.5.9 e) of the 2023 Formula One Technical Regulations, according to the Delegate’s Report.
As a result, both were sent straight to the stewards. With a spectacular second-place finish, Hamilton had pursued the victorious Max Verstappen all the way to the finish line. Mercedes had brought their final significant improvement package of the year to Austin, and he had been operating a new floor at this event.
After slipping behind in the closing stages on the less preferred one-stop strategy, Leclerc reached the finish line in sixth place, only 0.002 seconds ahead of the second Mercedes driven by George Russell.
A representative from each team appeared before the stewards and explained 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 minimised the time to set up and check the car before the race.” The Stewards did point out that it is the competitor’s responsibility to make sure the car is always compliant with the rules when competing. The rear skid in this particular instance fell outside of the tolerances specified in Article 3.5.9 e) of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations, which also contains a tolerance for wear.
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Carlos Sainz is elevated to the podium positions while Norris is moved up to second due to the disqualification. In the battle for second place in the drivers’ championship, Sergio Perez jumps up to fourth and widens the gap between him and Hamilton. Lance Stroll moves up to seventh, Russell from seventh to fifth, and Pierre Gasly from sixth to sixth. On a successful day for AlphaTauri, Yuki Tsunoda finished eighth and earned the bonus point for the fastest lap. Additionally, it means that Williams scores with both cars, with Logan Sargeant earning his maiden F1 point with a P10 finish on home ground and Alex Albon inheriting ninth position.