Official: Lewis Hamilton disqualified from qualifying in Brazil – F1only.fr

Almost 24 hours after the end of the qualifying session played this Friday evening in Sao Paulo, the FIA ​​has finally unveiled a first decision concerning the “DRS-Gate” affair on the British car driver Lewis Hamilton.

As a reminder, after this qualifying session, the FIA ​​technical delegates carried out routine checks on all the cars on the grid in order to identify any non-compliance. During this check, the technical delegates detected a potential technical violation on Lewis Hamilton’s single-seater (author of the best time) at the level of the DRS flap (movable rear spoiler), thus confirming that: ” the requirement of a maximum of 85 mm, when the DRS system is deployed and tested in accordance with DT / 011-19, was not met. “

Following this discovery, the technical delegates referred this matter back to the race marshals for further consideration and a delegation from the Mercedes team was immediately summoned to the marshals office. At the same time, a video taken by a fan in a grandstand opposite the pit lane on the Interlagos track circulated on social media and in which Red Bull driver Max Verstappen can be seen staring insistently at the rival’s Mercedes rear wing, as it even looks like the Dutchman is touching the W12’s rear wing with his fingertips.

the FIA ​​has therefore taken the decision to postpone the decision concerning the potential technical infringement of Mercedes until this Saturday morning (Brazilian time), while the Red Bull driver Max Verstappen also received a summons to the marshals office this Saturday morning at 9:30 am (local time) for breaking the parc fermé rule by touching the car of his rival, while a delegation from the Mercedes team is also expected at the marshals office at 10:30 am (local time).

After having waited much of the day for an official decision, and with the Sprint race scheduled for 8:30 p.m. (Paris time), the FIA ​​finally delivered its initial conclusions of the investigation this Saturday evening and indicated that the driver Red Bull Max Verstappen was fined 50,000 euros for having violates article 2.5.1. of the FIA ​​International Sporting Code by inspecting the rear wing of Lewis Hamilton in the Parc Fermé after qualifying for the Brazilian GP (to be read in full here).

Regarding Lewis Hamilton, the race marshals have decided to disqualify the Briton from the results of the qualifying session played this Friday in Sao Paulo, which means that the seven-time world champion will start the Sprint race from the last position on the grid this Saturday.