Grid penalty could be coming Lewis Hamilton’s way after car is referred to stewards for possible DRS infringement during a qualifying session he topped; Hamilton trails Max Verstappen by 19 points in the title race
By Matt Morlidge
Last Updated: 12/11/21 10:10pm
Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes car has been referred to stewards at the Sao Paulo GP due to an alleged DRS infringement during qualifying.
Hamilton, who is already set to serve a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race, topped qualifying for the F1 Sprint ahead of championship leader Max Verstappen – but is now the subject of a Brazil investigation.
F1’s technical delegate said Hamilton’s Mercedes car did not fulfil the “maximum distance” required for DRS, the Drag Reduction System which with its movable flaps on the rear wing increases speed on the straights.
Here’s the FIA Document relating to a potential breach of the regulations for Lewis Hamilton’s car during qualifying. This could be a back of the grid or pit lane start if the technical regulations have been broken pic.twitter.com/TdB9xCORXn
And when I say “back of the grid or pit lane start” my understanding is that it would be for The Sprint (Saturday) as qualifying today forms the grid for The Sprint not for the Grand Prix (Sunday)
“The uppermost rear wing element adjustable positions were checked on car number 44 for compliance with article 3.6.3 of the 2021 Formula One technical regulations,” read a statement on Friday evening.
“The requirement for the minimum distance was fulfilled. But the requirement for the maximum of 85mm, when the DRS system is deployed and tested in accordance with TD/011-19, were not fulfilled.
“I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration.”
The DRS is comprised of an upper and a lower flap, and it appears the gap between those was bigger than rules allow when deployed.
Sky F1’s David Croft posted on social media that a grid penalty could be coming Hamilton’s way – although only for Saturday’s 24-lap Sprint and not for Sunday’s race, which Hamilton already has a penalty for due to a new Mercedes Internal Combustion Engine.
Hamilton was dominant in Friday’s qualifying session, beating Verstappen, who he trails by 19 points in the title race, by almost half a second.
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Lewis Hamilton was delighted to have topped qualifying for the Sao Paulo GP, with the Mercedes driver to start first ahead of Max Verstappen in the Sprint.
“I loved today, for sure,” said a beaming Hamilton at Interlagos. “We’re working so hard to try and get this car right.
“I was sitting in [practice] for the whole hour trying to make the right set-up change, the anxiety you get is crazy. A lot of the time I get it wrong, but today I got it right. The car was really nice to drive.
“It was everything I wanted, enabling me to keep pushing lap after lap and it was purple, purple, purple, gaining every time.
“I don’t know how we can go from one track and them [Red Bull] being half a second ahead to them being behind. But they’ll be very strong in the race. I hope Valtteri (Bottas) gets a good start.”
The F1 Sprint is live on Sky Sports F1 at 7.30pm on Saturday, with Sunday’s Sao Paulo GP live at 5pm.