Brazilian Grand Prix – Lewis Hamilton disqualified for violation of his DRS during qualifying

There is no cut. Lewis Hamilton did not escape disqualification following the technical report that the delegate to the International Automobile Federation, Jo Bauer, sent on Friday to the stewards of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. After the qualifying session for the nineteenth round of the World Cup, in Brazil, the Briton noticed that the DRS of the Mercedes n ° 44 opened more than on the 85 mm authorized by the regulations, giving an advantage in terms of top speed in places where the seven-time world champion had activated it. Mercedes has decided not to appeal.

The Briton had set the best time in Q3 with a margin of four tenths over Max Verstappen (Red Bull), taking first place in the sprint race disputed this Saturday at 8:30 p.m. France on the Interlagos circuit. His DRS deemed non-compliant, the Englishman will start from last place on the grid for the 24-lap event.

Three points easily within reach of Verstappen

In explaining their decision, the stewards “agree with the competitor that this is an error, rather than an intentional act, but do not find any mitigating circumstances”. They have followed the rules to the letter and indicate that “The usual penalty for technical non-compliance is disqualification from the qualifying session”.

Technically, they measured the open space by the DRS and thus describe what they found in FIA Document # 29: “When the DRS is activated, which lifts the upper aileron element into a flatter position, the gap (editor’s note: between the removable upper shutter and the fixed lower shutter) must be between 10 mm and 85 mm. The maximum deviation is measured, in accordance with TD / 011-19, by pushing a gauge (the device described in the Canal + video below) 85 mm against space (between the two shutters) with a maximum load of 10 N (ten newtons). If the gauge passes, the car has failed the test. In this case, the gauge did not pass at the level of the inner section of the wing, but at the level of the outer section of the wing. This test was repeated four times with two different gauges, once in the presence of the stewards and representatives of the competitor. “

Previously, they had fined his Dutch rival in the title race 50,000 euros for touching the rear wing of his No.44 W12 in the parc fermé after the qualifying session. While acknowledging that he is “unlikely that the actions (from Batavian) caused this defect “.

While he was hoping to win the sprint race and score the three points that go with it, Lewis Hamilton should see his 19-point delay over Max Verstappen deepen. Author of the second fastest time in qualifying and propelled to the top of the grid, MV33 seems to have a boulevard in front of him. And as misfortune never happens alone, Lewis Hamilton will be penalized by five places on the starting grid of the Grand Prix on Sunday, compared to his finish position in the sprint race.