Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the results of the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, for technical non-conformity.
The infraction was discovered during a postrace inspection.
Hamilton had finished the 56-lap race at the Circuit of the Americas in second spot, with Leclerc in sixth, but their cars failed post-race checks. The FIA’s technical team determined that there was too much wear on the plank beneath the car and that it no longer met the minimum threshold.
As a result both drivers have been disqualified from the race.
Separate hearings were held with representatives from Mercedes and Ferrari in which the situation was outlined.
“During the hearing the teams acknowledged that the measurement performed by the FIA Technical Team was correct and stated 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,” read the stewards’ report.
“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.”
McLaren driver Lando Norris is therefore promoted to second place with Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz moving into third.
The double disqualification is also good news for American driver Logan Sargeant, who is promoted into the top 10.
Sargeant therefore takes home his maiden point, the first for an American in Formula 1 since Michael Andretti at the 1993 Italian Grand Prix.
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