Mercedes ‘need to take Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification on the chin’

Toto Wolff said Mercedes must take Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification from the United States Grand Prix on the chin – and make sure it does not happen again.

Nearly four hours after Hamilton finished second in his most competitive race of the season – one he could have won if Mercedes did not fluff their strategy lines – the stewards declared his car did not comply with the regulations.

The depth of the new floor on Hamilton’s upgraded Mercedes was adjudged to be “outside the thresholds outlined in Article 3.5.9 e).” – which states that the plank cannot wear to below 9mm thickness.

Update: Lewis has been disqualified from the #USGP

Post race checks by the FIA showed excessive wear on the rear skid on Lewis’ car.

This means he loses his second-place finish. pic.twitter.com/IHvM1jiA0A

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) October 23, 2023

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished sixth, was disqualified for the same breach following Sunday’s 56-lap race at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas.

Mercedes said the sprint format – which allows for just one hour of practice before parc ferme rules heavily constrict changes to the cars – had a bearing on Hamilton’s disqualification.

But team principal Wolff said: “In the end, all of that doesn’t matter. Others got it right where we got it wrong and there’s no wiggle room in the rules.

“We need to take it on the chin, do the learning and come back stronger next weekend in Mexico.”

Four cars were chosen at random following the race. Both winner Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and Lando Norris’ McLaren passed the scrutineering checks.

Hamilton’s demise elevated Norris to runner-up behind Verstappen, who claimed the 50th win of his career and 15th from 18 this season, and Carlos Sainz