Ex-F1 team boss claims Lewis Hamilton must be ‘pretty pi**ed’ after Austin DSQ, deems the plank rule stupid

Lewis Hamilton would want to get the 2023 US GP out of his system as soon as possible.

Ex-F1 team boss claims Lewis Hamilton must be ‘pretty pi**ed’ after Austin DSQ, deems the plank rule stupid

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff (Via IMAGO)

Lewis Hamilton, the 7-time F1 world champion, delivered one of his best performances of the 2023 F1 season during the United States Grand Prix. He was pretty much flawless during the 56-lap race, but calamity, courtesy of the FIA rules, led to his disqualification.

A lot has been said about Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s plank-wear DSQ, and amidst all the commotion around it, former Minarid F1 team boss Paul Stoddart has deemed the plank rule stupid. He does not see any room for it in the modern era of F1 racing.

Stoddart claimed that race results changing decisions coming hours after the event isn’t good for the sport’s growth in the US as it might cause fans to lose interest in such events.

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The decision came out hours after the race, so it doesn’t create a good image for the sport, it really doesn’t. But there you go, we have to abide by the rules, I guess, even if they are stupid.

Stoddard wrote in his racingnews365 column

He went on to question the stewards for not inspecting the other cars on the grid as well, despite two of the four acres the inspected failed. Stoddard also claimed that the DSQ’ed drivers would be disappointed by the decision. 

If it's not for track limits, it's for the plank wear, and to do only four of the cars and find that half of them are guilty as charged, then wouldn't that give you an indication to do the rest of them? I would think that Lewis and Charles would be pretty pi**ed off, to be honest.

Lewis Hamilton has been dealt a body blow in his pursuit of P2 in 2023

While Paul Stoddard has blasted the decision-makers for their plank rule, Lewis Hamilton lost out on a truckload of points because of it. Had Hamilton’s second-place Austin finish stood, he would have seen his gap to Sergio Perez reduce massively in the 2023 Drivers Championship.

Lewis Hamilton (Credits: RaceFans.Net)
Lewis Hamilton (Credits: RaceFans.Net)

As things stand, Perez is currently second in the standings with 240 points to his name, whereas Hamilton is still stuck on 201 because of his US GP disqualification. This has made his pursuit of P2 a whole lot tougher with only with only four races remaining in the ongoing season.

However, while the odds are stacked against the 38-year-old, his target is still attainable, considering the indifferent form of the Red Bull driver. The upcoming Mexican Grand Prix will be immensely crucial from the point of view of Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton.

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