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Debate | The FIA should've checked more cars after 50% failure rate
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were both disqualified from the United States Grand Prix for the exact same reason. Both cars were eliminated due to excessive plank wear. These were found in the FIA's random checks, but the rest of the field wasn't looked at despite a 50% failure rate. Should the FIA have extended their search?
Should the FIA have continued the search?
Max Verstappen was challenged but still won the United States Grand Prix. However, that doesn't dominate the storylines the day after the race. Instead, the focus is on Hamilton and Leclerc's disqualification.
It is a normal process for the FIA to randomly select a few cars for further checks on various areas. Hamilton, Leclerc, Verstappen and Norris were all checked for plank wear. 50% passed, and 50% failed. That could suggest there are more problems elsewhere on the grid, especially when you look into the reasons given by Mercedes.
They make a valid point: Teams only had one practice session because of the sprint format. The Circuit of the Americas is also very bumpy. With ride height being such a big focus in this era, teams will always go as low as they can. Mercedes, Ferrari and perhaps others didn't have enough time to make the correct decision. Of course, that isn't an excuse. They should still be disqualified, but surely the next logical step is to check other cars? At least those who scored points?
We've seen it before during a sprint weekend. Previously, drivers have had to start from the pitlane because the team found the mistake and raised the ride height during Parc Fermé conditions. But Mercedes and Ferrari were caught out on race day. Were others caught out? Or did they just get away with it? We'll never know.
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4 October 2024
