F1 News: Lewis Hamilton's Disqualification Was Not Random At Austin GP

Former F1 drivers Martin Brundle and Jenson Button provide insight into the FIA’s decision to disqualify Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at the Austin GP.

The aftermath of the United States Grand Prix has been rife with discussions and analysis following the disqualification of both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. The FIA’s decision to check four cars post-race, resulting in the disqualification of two, has raised eyebrows and prompted detailed commentary from Sky Sports analysts and former Formula 1 drivers Martin Brundle and Jenson Button.

Key Takeaways:

• Data-Driven Decisions: Brundle emphasizes that the decision to check Hamilton’s and Leclerc’s cars was not arbitrary, but rather based on data observed during the race.
• Uncertainty in the Paddock: While many teams assert that their cars were compliant, Brundle highlights a level of uncertainty, noting that one team was unsure of their car’s legality even during the build-down.
• Verification of FIA Systems: Button sheds light on the FIA’s strategy, suggesting that after disqualifying Hamilton and Leclerc, they checked two additional cars to validate their inspection systems.

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Martin Brundle has provided insight into the FIA’s selection process for car inspections, stating that there were specific reasons why Hamilton and Leclerc’s cars were chosen. He highlighted the importance of data in this decision-making process and pointed out that teams are capable of measuring their own planks after the race. 

"There are reasons why they chose those two cars to check because of the data they saw," he confirmed. "Then they checked some others. I can't help but think because the teams take the planks off, they can measure them."

He continued:

"We don't know if the rest of the field were illegal or legal. I've asked some of the team members, and, of course, they all say their car is fine. Another team said they weren't sure, which is nonsense because they were on the build-down, all that is checked."

Jenson Button contributed to the discussion by focusing on the FIA’s ability to monitor which cars are in contact with the track more frequently, suggesting that this data influenced their decision to inspect Hamilton and Leclerc’s cars. 

"The FIA can see which cars are touching more than others. That’s why they picked those two cars. They tested them, and they both failed. They then picked two other cars to make sure their systems were correct. Those two cars passed."

The disqualifications allowed Red Bull's Sergio Perez to push ahead in his fight to maintain P2 in the Driver Standings. And Ferrari's Carlos Sainz managed to rake in P3, despite his teammate's poor fortune.