Lewis Hamilton could be excluded from second place after his Mercedes was one of two cars to be flagged during scrutineering after the United States Grand Prix.
Hamilton and Charles Leclerc both had issues with their cars, specifically relating to plank wear underneath the Mercedes and Ferrari respectively.
A report from the technical delegate Jo Bauer brought the issue to light.
UPDATE: Hamilton and Leclerc disqualified from United States GP
“A physical floor and a plank wear inspection was carried out on car numbers 16 and 44,” Bauer’s report said.
“The skids located in the area -825 ≥ XR ≥ – 1025 are found to be not in compliance with Article 3.5.9 e) of the 2023 Formula One Technical Regulations.”
That article outlines the allowable wear on the plank underneath a car, a rule introduced in 1994.
“The thickness of the plank assembly measured normal to the lower surface must be 10mm ± 0.2mm and must be uniform when new. A minimum thickness of 9mm will be accepted due to wear, and conformity to this provision will be checked at the peripheries of the designated holes,” it states.
The matter has been referred to the stewards for consideration.
The Circuit of The Americas circuit has come under fire this weekend for excessive bumps, a point Hamilton himself noted post-race.
Hamilton finished second in the race, two seconds back from winner Max Verstappen and eight seconds clear of Lando Norris in third.
Leclerc meanwhile was sixth at the flag, having moved aside for Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz in the closing laps.
Hamilton and Leclerc face potential exclusion from the race depending on the outcome of the stewards investigation.
Mercedes will front the stewards at 18:00 local time and Ferrari 15 minutes later.
