Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc have been stripped of their results in the 2023 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, October 22.
Hamilton and Leclerc faced disqualification due to irregularities identified by the FIA Technical team during a post-race inspection.
They were reported to the stewards by FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer after the Grand Prix due to issues with the excessive tear on the skids on the undersides of their cars that did not comply with the technical regulations.
According to a statement by Bauer, a physical floor and plank wear inspection was conducted on cars 16 and 44. The skids located in the area -825 ≥ XR ≥ -1025 were found to be non-compliant with Article 3.5.9. (e). of the 2023 Formula One Technical Regulations.
Representatives from Mercedes and Ferrari argued that the high wear on the skid pads may have resulted from a combination of the bumpy track and the schedule, which included a Sprint Race, reducing the time available to set up and check the cars before the main race.
Read more: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc Nearly Gets Heart Attack After Hearing Radio Message From Race Engineer
Hamilton and Leclerc lose points
Leclerc, who began the race in pole position, had a challenging day that worsened as he dropped to sixth place, losing positions due to an unfavorable strategy. His meager six points earned in the race have been nullified.
Hamilton, who was only 2.25 seconds behind race winner Max Verstappen, took a big hit on his pursuit to finish second in the Drivers' standings, losing out on 18 points.
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