F1 Today | Disqualification viewpoints and a negative for Red Bull

Disqualification fallout 

It's the flavour of the day: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc's disqualification from the United States Grand Prix was announced around four hours after the chequered flag. Therefore, all of the reactions occurred on Monday. Firstly, the reaction from Mercedes. Of course, it wasn't an outcome the German team wanted, but they're not really bothered. In fact, Hamilton highlighted that performance progress was most important. 

Toto Wolff also reacted calmly: "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". See Toto Wolff's full reaction to the United States Grand Prix here.

It was arguably one of the most challenging races for Max Verstappen in 2023, but the media chose not to focus on that or his performance to climb from sixth place on the grid. Instead, Hamilton's disqualification stayed in the Daily Mail's number-one headline through the night and into mid-morning. This is how the British press reacted. The international media did put some of the focus on Verstappen's performance, but the disqualifications were also a major talking point. 

Meanwhile, at GPBlog, we wondered whether or not Hamilton would even be bothered by the penalty and P2 in the World Championship. It's not too late to vote in the poll. 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. Should the FIA have checked more cars?

F1 Tech Analysis

The disqualification wasn't a major concern at Mercedes because they introduced new upgrades, which seemed to work. They might not have been as fast as Verstappen, but they were certainly much closer at COTA. 

The floor edge has the same shape as the previous one, but the raised section has been inclined further, and the two “vortex generators” at its exit have changed too, with a more square space, to better manage the incoming turbulence from the front tyres. This makes the flow underneath as undisturbed as possible, intending to generate a very low-pressure area. To change the airflow around the undercut and towards the rear diffuser and beam wing, the Mercedes engineers also re-designed the floor around the SIS to create a “second channel” where the air can flow. Click here to see the full tech analysis, including technical drawings.

Bad news for Red Bull

The news didn't fully surround Mercedes, though they will perhaps keep a close eye on the developments of the next story. Red Bull Racing may have suffered a setback in the construction of their new wind tunnel. The team appears to have changed their schedule and withdrawn their planning application for the new facility.

The reason for the sudden withdrawal of the application is not known. Possibly, the team needs to find a new place to build or make major changes to its plans. In any case, it is quite likely that the new wind tunnel will not be ready for use to help develop the 2025 car. That the new facility does exist in 2025 seems important, with Ford entering as Red Bull's partner in 2026 and the rigorous rule changes planned for F1 then. it could well be bad news for Red Bull but good news for their rivals.