As the sun set in Austin, drama wsa unfolding. Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected disqualification became the hot topic of every conversation, raising eyebrows on the current car legality measures in Formula 1.
Michael Schmidt of Auto Motor und Sport, an expert voice in the racing community, weighed in, “Ride height is so crucial for these ground effect cars that you can’t really afford any gaps in control.”
The drama unfolded long after the race had ended. Nearly four hours post-race, officials disqualified both Hamilton, who had taken the second spot, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The technicality? A minor infraction concerning the floor ‘plank’ that had exceeded the permissible wear by just a smidgeon.
But the plot thickens. At Austin, only a select few cars were given the post-race scrutineer’s attention, while at other races, no floors are even checked at all. So while Hamilton and Leclerc faced the brunt at the US GP, Charles’ teammate, Carlos Sainz, went unchecked, and will now call that third-placed trophy his.
Was this all truly an error on the teams’ part? Some whispers in the paddock allude to the rough and bumpy track. Hamilton, ever the racer, commented, “I like some of the bumps because it adds character to a circuit. But there’s way too many.”
Schmidt added another layer to this unfolding story, stated that the FIA sometimes doesn’t check the planks due to time constraints. “So there could have been a lot of black sheep this season,” he mused, suggesting a possible revision in the regulations for a more streamlined check. “It would be better to think about less complex control measures,” he opined.
Echoing his sentiment, an editorial in the esteemed French magazine L’Equipe pointed out the inconsistencies, “By choosing to check certain cars and not others, it creates doubt about the legality of the other cars.” The magazine further highlighted the challenges the FIA faces, like a ticking clock and limited space to check all the cars, which always leaves that lingering grey cloud of doubt.
Add to this mix the ‘sprint’ weekend format, which provides teams a mere hour to finalize ride heights for two qualifying sessions and two races, and you’ve got a potent cocktail for controversies.
However, not everyone’s pointing fingers at the FIA. Mercedes’ Toto Wolff stoically remarked, “In the end, none of that matters. Others got it right where we got it wrong.” A sentiment echoed by Ferrari’s Diego Ioverno, who admitted their compromise was a misstep.
The experienced Timo Glock reflected on the sport’s nature, stating, “This is what can happen when you push the limits.”
But in this cacophony of opinions, Alexey Popov, a Russian F1 commentator, stood firmly in the corner of those questioning the FIA’s methods. “Sainz and (George) Russell most likely had the same setup as their teammates. They simply were not checked. Many others could have been in violation too,” he declared.
