São Paulo Grand Prix – Hamilton disqualified from qualifying!
Lewis Hamilton is disqualified from qualifying following the investigation conducted by the FIA. The organization declared the British driver's Mercedes illegal due to a rear wing being too open when using the DRS.
The penalty has been issued, after several hours of investigation by the FIA and lengthy waiting hours, Lewis Hamilton will start from the back of the grid for the sprint race.
The Mercedes driver is penalized following an infringement found on his car after the qualifications. The infringement concerns his DRS, which did not comply with the technical regulations of the FIA. To put it simply, a wing consists of two flaps, and the gap between the two must be between 10 and 85 mm. Hamilton’s after-qualification did not meet the maximum size and exceeded the required 85 mm.
The requirement of a maximum of 85 mm […] has not been met, indicates the FIA technical delegate, Jo Bauer.
The penalty report explains that it is rather a mistake and that Verstappen is not involved.
Hamilton agreed that it was unlikely that Verstappen’s actions had caused the fault. The commissioners agree that it is a mistake, rather than an intentional act or design, but they did not find any mitigating circumstances.
In addition to this penalty which applies to the sprint qualifications, the Briton still receives his 5-place penalty for his engine change. He might have to start far back on the grid while his rival could secure the three points from the Sprint race and start on pole tomorrow.
