Following the disqualification of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc from the 2023 United States Grand Prix due to excessive plank wear, there has been a heated debate in the Formula 1 world regarding rules and regulations. However, Hamilton has fired back during a press conference ahead of the Mexico Grand Prix, claiming that there were more illegal formula 1 cars with excessive plank wear at the USGP, but those cars were not tested.
Following the USGP, race officials examined four cars for excessive plank wear, and Hamilton and Leclerc failed the inspection.
When asked about the disqualification before the Mexico City Grand Prix. Hamilton stated, “I have heard from different sources there were more illegal formula 1 cars that had not been tested.”
Continuing his statement, Hamilton emphasized the need for a better structure to ensure fairness and consistency. Saying, “I have been racing here for 16 years, and there have been many other scenarios where some got away with things and others were unlucky to get tested. For me, there has to be some kind of better structure in terms of making sure it is fair and even across the board.”
Hamilton’s point is valid considering that motorsport revolves around meticulous attention to detail. If race stewards inspected every car according to the rulebook, the F1 cars would still be under examination in Austin.
Due to the tight schedule, teams had to pack up and fly to Mexico , leaving no time for extensive inspections. Only a select few cars can be chosen and scrutinized, while the rest are packed up without inspection.
Hamilton is also correct in calling for improved enforcement of regulations. If half of the tested cars showed irregularities, it is reasonable to assume that a significant number of the other 11 finishers at the USGP might have also exhibited similar irregularities, especially the sister cars of Hamilton and Leclerc.
This raises a few important questions: Why was plank wear only a problem in Austin? Why haven’t we heard about similar issues at other tracks this season? Max Verstappen, a three-time World Champion, addressed these questions when speaking to the media.
Verstappen stated, “I don’t think anyone does that on purpose,” referring to the illegal cars of his competitors. “It’s more because of this Sprint format, where you only have one practice session where you try to nail everything. Once you are in the wrong, there’s nothing you can do.”
Verstappen is referring to the new “Sprint” weekend, with only one Free Practice session instead of the three. Issues that may have been identified and addressed in a later practice session are not allowed to be rectified outside of the designated practice session on the track. Once cars qualify and/or race, teams are forbidden from making any additional changes. Consequently, if Mercedes were to notice their cars bottoming out during qualifying for the Saturday Sprint race due to the bumpy surface of the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), they would not have the opportunity to rectify the issue. They would have to rely on race officials not testing their cars.
The double disqualification in Austin has brought attention to one of the most critical concerns in F1 in recent years. Inconsistent enforcement of the rules. If the sport seeks to continue growing, it must find ways to strike a better balance between a strict set of rules and the ability to set up cars to comply with those rules.
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