False subfloor in Austin
Race stewards disqualify Hamilton
October 23, 2023, 3:07 a.m
In a thrilling race, Lewis Hamilton almost beats Formula 1 dominator Max Verstappen. But a few hours after the US Grand Prix is over, the Brit also loses second place: Mercedes admits to the race stewards that they were wrong.
Second-placed Lewis Hamilton was subsequently disqualified from the Formula 1 race in Austin. The race stewards cited a non-compliant underbody on the Brit’s Mercedes as the reason. This means that McLaren driver Lando Norris moves up to second place behind winner Max Verstappen. The new third is Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who finished sixth, was also removed from the results list due to an irregular floor plate.
Mercedes had previously admitted the violation of the rules on Hamilton’s car. The team cited the impact of the very bumpy track on the underbody as well as the lack of time to readjust and check the racing car after the sprint on Saturday. However, the race stewards stood firm and pointed out that it was the duty of every team to ensure compliance with the regulations.
Hamilton narrowly missed out on winning the US Grand Prix. After a thrilling three-way battle with Verstappen and Norris, he crossed the finish line 2.2 seconds behind the Red Bull driver. “Max was simply flawless, but we could have caught up with her if it had been a few laps more,” said Hamilton after crossing the finish line. As a result of the two disqualifications, Haas driver Nico Hülkenberg moves from 13th to 11th place, but still remains without a championship point.
After the brightly colored guest appearance in Miami in May, Texas was Formula 1’s second trip to the USA this year. The huge US market is particularly important for the booming racing series. The track operators counted 432,000 spectators over the weekend at the Circuit of the Americas, which had its Grand Prix premiere in 2012. Austin has since firmly established itself on the calendar. After Miami, there will also be a glittering event in Las Vegas in November.