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As often was the case amid an American society embedded in racism in the 1980s, Muhammed Ali put it best. Advising black racing driver Willy T. Ribbs, the people’s champion made his point in no uncertain terms: “There are Blacks in my sport. But there are no Blacks in your sport. “They’re going to want to kill you.” Yet for all the death threats, discrimination and abuse, Ribbs had long decided that the only option was to meet the uphill battle head-on. He made history in 1986 when he became the first Black driver to test an F1 car. Five years later, he was the first to race in the Indy 500, one of the world’s most famous events. But on the course to that journey, Ribbs faced it all. Don’t let me tell you though; let the man himself. “Of course, there were death threats, the n-word,” he reflects, in a slow but dead-pan fashion that tells you the wounds have long since healed. Instead, the metaphorical bruises are worn with pride. “But I enjoyed it. It didn’t make me mad, it was fun. I was going to dish out what they were dishing out to me, it never scared or intimidated me. I actually enjoyed it because it was motivating. I was never going to play the victim, that was not Willy T. Ribbs.” Now 68, Ribbs is an ambassador for Formula 1, raising awareness for diversity and equality. A role given a matter of months after his riveting biopic movie, Uppity, was released in 2020. So titled because that was his nickname in motorsport circles – “and he loved it.” But to this interview, he’s late. And he apologises, quipping: “Race drivers are never late, you know! Or they’re not supposed to be…” Son to William ‘Bunny’ Ribbs, an amateur racer himself, Willy’s career path was set in stone from day-dot it seems. It was the racing way or the highway. “I was born in this sport,” he tells The Independent, from his home in Texas. “I watched it from three years old when my Dad was racing, watching the likes of Jim Clark and Graham Hill. That’s all that was discussed in the family. We didn’t discuss any other sport. “I was lucky, I think. At nine years old, I knew what I wanted to do and I knew what my career path was going to be. Most kids that age don’t know what the hell they’re going to do, but I did. And I didn’t want to be an amateur at it – I wanted it to be a profession and I wanted it to be Formula 1.” He learned his craft, in the UK, racing alongside future F1 world champion Nigel Mansell in Formula Ford in the mid-1970s. He raced in NASCAR and the Trans-Am Series, later on, too. But his F1 calling, in ’86, came in the Portuguese town of Estoril. Bernie Ecclestone’s Brabham team – “Bernie has always been good to Willy T. Ribbs” – gave the American the chance to buck the trend and become a true trailblazer. But the tag was not something he felt comfortable with at the time. “All that mattered was I thought of myself as a race driver,” he says. “I had two responsibilities: to myself and to my team. For those who record social history, that’s their job [to say trailblazer] – but I’m not going to carry that weight on my shoulders. “Sure. I was a role model because I was doing something no other Black kid had done. And great, if that’s the category they want to put me in and how they want to document it. But for me? It was about going fast.” It was a mindset of not bowing to the status quo, embodied most especially in the late 20th century by Ali. “What I admired about him the most was not his boxing skills,” Ribbs says of Ali. “What I admired about him was his resolve as a man, not to be squashed, manipulated or controlled. Ali said ‘you have to let them know that you can’t be killed, there’s nothing they can do to you and then they’ll leave you alone for a while.’” Now in motor racing, the baton has been passed on to seven-time Formula 1 world champion and the sport’s only Black driver Lewis Hamilton, whom Ribbs is full of praise about. “Lewis Hamilton, after seven world titles and more victories than any other human being, gets unfairly targeted,” insists Ribbs. “If you can equate it to Tiger Woods, what did Tiger Woods do for golf? He broadened the audience. The attention went off the chart. That’s exactly what happened in F1 – Lewis Hamilton has been Formula 1’s Tiger Woods. “He’s a very kind man. He’ll let it roll off, turn the other cheek – I wasn’t that way. He deals with it and in a lot of cases it’s unfair. Then again, he is in an environment which was not nearly as brutal as I was dealing with. Willy T. Ribbs was treated differently.” The third-person references point to a man who is now comfortable in his own skin; in the significance of the struggle – and what it means to many around the world. And despite a sport notoriously still dominated by white men, progress is being made. “One thing I love about Formula 1 is not only is it evolving commercially around the world, it’s evolving socially,” he says. “When F1 hired me, I asked them ‘what made you make this call?’ “They said: ‘We watched your film and we thought you’d be the perfect person for inclusion and equality in Formula 1.’ “I said: ‘Well, you called the right guy’.’” Read More Mercedes chief admits ‘embarrassment’ after Lewis Hamilton disqualification Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc post amusing joint Instagram after DSQ Red Bull chief condemns Mexican fans who booed Max Verstappen Logan Sargeant earns first F1 point in bizarre circumstances Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes react to shock disqualification from United States GP Chaos as Lewis Hamilton disqualified four hours after finishing second in US GP

Mercedes chief James Allison says Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification is an “embarrassment” and “significant blow” for the team as the 2023 F1 season draws to a close. Hamilton finished the US Grand Prix in second, behind race winner Max Verstappen, but was disqualified by the FIA following a technical inspection of the plank underneath his Mercedes car was found to have exceeded the limits in the regulations. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished sixth, was disqualified for the same reason. Mercedes’ technical director Allison, who earlier in the season came back into the fold on-site in the Mercedes garage after an effective job swap with Mike Elliott, did not mince his words when speaking in the team’s post-race debrief video. “Of course the disqualification is a significant blow,” he said. “It’s a miserable feeling. It hurts and, everybody here feels it. "Everybody is upset, embarrassed to a degree as well because we absolutely don’t like being on the wrong side of the rules, and just lamenting the lost points." Hamilton was set to close to within 19 points of Sergio Perez in the battle for the second in the world championship but, instead, the deficit is now 39 points ahead of the Mexican’s home race in Mexico City this weekend. However, Allison was also keen to stress the uplift provided by Mercedes’ upgrade in Austin, which brought an improvement in pace for Hamilton and his team-mate George Russell. "Give it a day or two and that will start to wane and be replaced by the much happier feeling, which is we moved our car forward this weekend and that it’s hard to do that,” he added. "But we did it and we did it by a decent amount. And with four races left in the championship, four races where I am pretty sure we will stay on the right side of the skid block rules. "The initial feeling of hurt, and disappointment and frustration of ourselves will pass to be replaced by the sunny optimism of knowing that the car looked bright on this upgrade package and we’ve got four more races to show what we can do with it." Hamilton is a two-time winner at the Mexican Grand Prix but was booed after finishing runner-up to Verstappen last year. Read More Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc post amusing joint Instagram after DSQ Red Bull chief condemns Mexican fans who booed Max Verstappen Logan Sargeant earns first F1 point in bizarre circumstances Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes react to shock disqualification from United States GP Chaos as Lewis Hamilton disqualified four hours after finishing second in US GP Lando Norris reflects on 2023 win prospects after another near-miss in Austin

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Lewis Hamilton was crowned Formula One world champion for the third time after winning the United States Grand Prix, on this day in 2015. Hamilton, then 30, became only the second British driver after Sir Jackie Stewart to achieve the feat after edging Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in a thrilling race. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who would have kept the title race alive with three grand prix remaining had he finished second in Austin, came third. Hamilton also became the 10th Formula One driver to win at least three world titles and went on to win his seventh in 2020 and joined Michael Schumacher at the top of the all-time list. On a wet track in Austin, Hamilton started second on the grid behind Rosberg and made an aggressive start by pushing the German wide at the first corner to take the lead. Rosberg slipped to fourth behind Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo, but – as the track dried – the Red Bull pair lacked the pace to challenge and the race developed into a battle between the two Mercedes team-mates. Hamilton trailed with eight laps to go, only to pounce on a mistake by Rosberg, who ran wide after losing traction out of a hairpin on turn 12, allowing the Briton to retake the lead and comfortably hold on for victory. It was his 10th win of the season and sealed his third drivers’ title after previous successes in 2008 and 2014. Hamilton went on to equal Schumacher’s Formula One record by winning four consecutive world titles in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Read More Mercedes ‘need to take Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification on the chin’ Max Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States Grand Prix victory I can do something wiser with my time – George Russell stops using social media

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc posted a hilarious joint Instagram on Monday in wake of their disqualification from the United States Grand Prix. The pair were punished after their Mercedes and Ferrari cars fell foul of rules governing the underside of F1 cars. Hamilton had finished on the podium in second, coming home two seconds shy of race winner Max Verstappen, while pole-sitter Leclerc finished sixth. As a result of their DSQ, Hamilton’s 18 points earned are wiped from his season’s total as are the eight points Leclerc earned, with both unlikely to appeal the decision. And following the ruling, the pair posted a joint photo on Instagram of both sat in a weekend press conference in Austin with glum expressions. The caption, meanwhile, simply read: “Mood.” Hamilton and Leclerc were investigated by the stewards following a plank wear inspection in Austin. Personnel from both Mercedes and Ferrari were summoned to see the stewards and, just after 7pm local time in Austin and more than three hours after the race finished, their disqualification from the race was confirmed. In a Mercedes press release, Hamilton stated he was simply “disappointed” with the penalty, while team boss Toto Wolff admitted “we got it wrong.” The FIA note reveals that the cars of Verstappen and Lando Norris (who now moves up to second from third in the final classification) were also inspected, but passed the checks. Breaches of technical checks of the car often result in disqualification, with a recent example being Hamilton from qualifying in Brazil in 2021. Michael Schumacher was disqualified from the 1994 Belgian Grand Prix for an illegal floor, allowing Damon Hill to win the race. In a Mercedes press release, Wolff explained how Mercedes fell foul of the rules. “Turning to the race result and the disqualification, set-up choices on a sprint weekend are always a challenge with just one hour of free practice – and even more so at a bumpy circuit like COTA and running a new package,” he said. “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.” The ruling meant Williams driver Logan Sargeant earned his first F1 point in bizarre circumstances at his home race. Read More Red Bull chief condemns Mexican fans who booed Max Verstappen Logan Sargeant earns first F1 point in bizarre circumstances Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes react to shock disqualification from United States GP Chaos as Lewis Hamilton disqualified four hours after finishing second in US GP Lando Norris reflects on 2023 win prospects after another near-miss in Austin Lewis Hamilton rues Mercedes error which cost him victory at US Grand Prix

Toto Wolff said Mercedes must take Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification from the United States Grand Prix on the chin – and make sure it does not happen again. Nearly four hours after Hamilton finished second in his most competitive race of the season – one he could have won if Mercedes did not fluff their strategy lines – the stewards declared his car did not comply with the regulations. The depth of the new floor on Hamilton’s upgraded Mercedes was adjudged to be “outside the thresholds outlined in Article 3.5.9 e).” – which states that the plank cannot wear to below 9mm thickness. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished sixth, was disqualified for the same breach following Sunday’s 56-lap race at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas. Mercedes said the sprint format – which allows for just one hour of practice before parc ferme rules heavily constrict changes to the cars – had a bearing on Hamilton’s disqualification. But team principal Wolff said: “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 in Mexico.” Four cars were chosen at random following the race. Both winner Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and Lando Norris’ McLaren passed the scrutineering checks. Hamilton’s demise elevated Norris to runner-up behind Verstappen, who claimed the 50th win of his career and 15th from 18 this season, and Carlos Sainz to third. Sergio Perez was promoted to fourth to extend his lead over Hamilton in the fight for second place in the championship from 27 points to 39. Hamilton crossed the line just 2.2 seconds adrift of Verstappen after Mercedes’ move to attempt a one-stop strategy backfired and probably denied the seven-time world champion his first victory in 686 days. But despite expressing frustration at his team’s strategy, Hamilton was asked if he has been provided hope that he could taste victory before the season is out. “Yes, definitely,” replied the 38-year-old. “The steps that we were able to take this weekend has given me a little bit more confidence to throw the car into the corners. “There are still some of the fundamental issues that we’re having with the car, which won’t change until next year. But it was really positive to feel that the decisions we are taking are the right ones.” Hamilton will be back in action at this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix with rounds to follow in Brazil and Las Vegas before the campaign concludes in Abu Dhabi on November 26. Read More Max Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States Grand Prix victory I can do something wiser with my time – George Russell stops using social media Charles Leclerc snatches pole position after Max Verstappen’s lap was deleted Daniel Ricciardo ready for AlphaTauri return at United States Grand Prix On this day in 2009: Jenson Button crowned Formula One world champion in Brazil FIA to review Qatar GP as ‘dangerous’ temperatures prompt driver complaints

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was critical of an “enthusiastic” section of Mexican fans who booed Max Verstappen after Sunday’s United States Grand Prix. Race winner Verstappen, who saw off a late challenge from Lewis Hamilton though the Brit was later disqualified alongside Charles Leclerc, was jeered as he walked onto the podium in Austin. Then chants of “Checo” for Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez were audible during the Dutch national anthem. Verstappen and Perez have endured a topsy-turvy relationship as team-mates, most notably clashing in Brazil last year when the Dutchman rebuked a team order to let the Mexican pass. F1 returns to Mexico City this weekend and Marko, who has previously apologised after referring to Perez’s ethnicity as a reason for his struggles this season, suggested it was only a particularly keen group of fans who were jeering. “We are in contact with a lot of Mexicans,” said Marko. “The majority are very friendly and fair, but there are always some let’s say enthusiastic people who don’t maintain the fair sporting standard. “But we have no concerns and are happy to go to Mexico.” Red Bull boss Christian Horner added: "I don’t think Max is going to get the warmest reception in Mexico! “But that’s water off a duck’s back. One year you are the villain, the next year you are the hero." Verstappen himself was unfazed by the boos, telling Dutch media: “In the end, I’m the one who takes the silverware home, so all fine by me.” Following Hamilton’s disqualification, Perez now has a 39-point lead over the Brit in the battle for second place in the world championship with four races to go. Read More Logan Sargeant earns first F1 point in bizarre circumstances Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes react to shock disqualification from United States GP Chaos as Lewis Hamilton disqualified four hours after finishing second in US GP

Lewis Hamilton said he was “disappointed” after his shock disqualification from the United States Grand Prix – while Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted “we got it wrong.” Hamilton finished the race in second, behind race winner Max Verstappen, but was later disqualified alongside Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for breaching the rules governing the floor of their cars. Hamilton therefore loses the 18 points earned from his second-place finish, while Leclerc loses eight points. It is thought Mercedes won’t be appealing the decision. In a Mercedes press release, Wolff explained how Mercedes fell foul of the rules. “Turning to the race result and the disqualification, set-up choices on a sprint weekend are always a challenge with just one hour of free practice - and even more so at a bumpy circuit like COTA and running a new package,” he said. “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.” Hamilton said: “It is of course disappointing to be disqualified post-race but that doesn’t take away from the progress we’ve made this weekend.” Mercedes chief Andrew Shovlin admitted the team need to “go away and learn from this.” “We are of course naturally very disappointed to lose our podium finish,” he said. “Unfortunately, it is one of the pitfalls of the sprint format where we have a solitary hour of running before parc fermé. “Without running at a race fuel load in FP1, combined with a circuit as bumpy as this and the parts of the track where the drivers have to put the car during the Grand Prix, have contributed to the higher than expected wear levels. “We will go away and learn from this but also take the positives from our experience as a whole.” Read More Logan Sargeant earns first F1 point in bizarre circumstances Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc disqualified from United States GP Lando Norris reflects on 2023 win prospects after another near-miss in Austin Lewis Hamilton rues Mercedes error which cost him victory at US Grand Prix Max Verstappen booed by American fans on podium after victory Max Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States Grand Prix victory

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been disqualified from Sunday’s United States Grand Prix after breaching the rules governing the floor of their cars in a shock end to the race weekend. Hamilton and Leclerc, who finished second and sixth respectively in the 56-lap race won by Max Verstappen, were being investigated by the stewards following a plank wear inspection in Austin. The original report from FIA technical delegate Joe Bauer stated: “A physical floor and a plank wear inspection was carried out on car numbers 16 [Leclerc] and 44 [Hamilton]. “The skids located in this area are found to be not in compliance with Article 3.5.9 e) of the 2023 Formula One Technical Regulations. I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration.” Personnel from both Mercedes and Ferrari were summoned to see the stewards and, just after 7pm local time in Austin and more than three hours after the race finished, their disqualification from the race was confirmed. Hamilton therefore loses the 18 points earned from his second-place finish, while Leclerc loses eight points. Both drivers, however, do have the right to an appeal but it is understood Mercedes will not appeal the FIA’s verdict. In a Mercedes press release, Hamilton stated he was simply “disappointed” with the penalty, while team boss Toto Wolff admitted “we got it wrong.” The FIA note reveals that the cars of Verstappen and Lando Norris (who now moves up to second from third in the final classification) were also inspected, but passed the checks. The section of the rulebook referred to reads: “The thickness of the plank assembly measured normal to the lower surface must be 10mm [plus or minus] 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.” The ruling means Williams driver Logan Sargeant earns his first F1 point in bizarre circumstances at his home race. The final stewards report said: “During the hearing, the team acknowledged that the measurement performed by the FIA Technical Team was correct and stated that the high wear on the skid pads was probably a result of the unique combination of the bumpy track and the Sprint race schedule that minimized the time to set up and check the car before the race. NEW TOP-10 - UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX 1. Max Verstappen 2. Lando Norris 3. Carlos Sainz 4. Sergio Perez 5. George Russell 6. Pierre Gasly 7. Lance Stroll 8. Yuki Tsunoda 9. Alex Albon 10. Logan Sargeant “The Stewards note that the onus is on the competitor to ensure that the car is in compliance with the regulations at all times during an event. “In this particular case, the rear skid in the area defined in the Technical Delegate’s report was outside of the thresholds outlined in Article 3.5.9 e) of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations, which includes a tolerance for wear. “Therefore, the standard penalty for a breach of the Technical Regulations is imposed.” Breaches of technical checks of the car often result in disqualification, with a recent example being Hamilton from qualifying in Brazil in 2021. Michael Schumacher was disqualified from the 1994 Belgian Grand Prix for an illegal floor, allowing Damon Hill to win the race. Hamilton was already in hot water with the FIA for an unrelated matter, after crossing a live track at the last race in Qatar and was spoken to again in Texas due to his status as a “role model.” Leclerc started Sunday’s race on pole but, opting for a different strategy, fell behind after Norris stole a march on the Ferrari at the start. Hamilton, meanwhile, came close to victory after reeling in Verstappen - who was booed on the podium - at the end. The 38-year-old has not won in nearly two years, with his last victory coming in Saudi Arabia in December 2021, but this disqualification will be a bitter pill for the seven-time world champion to swallow ahead of the next race, this weekend in Mexico. Read More Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes react to shock disqualification from United States GP Logan Sargeant earns first F1 point in bizarre circumstances Lando Norris reflects on 2023 win prospects after another near-miss in Austin Lewis Hamilton rues Mercedes error which cost him victory at US Grand Prix Max Verstappen booed by American fans on podium after victory Max Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States Grand Prix victory

Logan Sargeant has earned his first Formula 1 point following the shock disqualification of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc from the United States Grand Prix. Mercedes driver Hamilton and Ferrari’s Leclerc, who finished second and sixth at the Circuit of the Americas, were being investigated by the stewards following a plank wear inspection in Austin. More than three hours after the race finished, the stewards announced that the pair had been disqualified – and thus everybody else moved up the order. Williams driver Sargeant finished the race 12th but having moved up to 10th receives his first point of the season in bizarre circumstances at his home race. Sargeant thus becomes the first American driver to score a point in F1 in 30 years. The FIA note reveals that the cars of Verstappen and Lando Norris (who now moves up to second from third in the final classification) were also inspected, but passed the checks. The final stewards report said: “During the hearing, the team acknowledged that the measurement performed by the FIA Technical Team was correct and stated that the high wear on the skid pads was probably a result of the unique combination of the bumpy track and the Sprint race schedule that minimized the time to set up and check the car before the race. NEW TOP-10 FOR THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX: 1. Max Verstappen 2. Lando Norris 3. Carlos Sainz 4. Sergio Perez 5. George Russell 6. Pierre Gasly 7. Lance Stroll 8. Yuki Tsunoda 9. Alex Albon 10. Logan Sargeant “The Stewards note that the onus is on the competitor to ensure that the car is in compliance with the regulations at all times during an event. “In this particular case, the rear skid in the area defined in the Technical Delegate’s report was outside of the thresholds outlined in Article 3.5.9 e) of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations, which includes a tolerance for wear. “Therefore, the standard penalty for a breach of the Technical Regulations is imposed.” Read More Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc disqualified from United States GP Lando Norris reflects on 2023 win prospects after another near-miss in Austin Lewis Hamilton rues Mercedes error which cost him victory at US Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has been disqualified from second place in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix for driving an illegal car. Nearly four hours after the chequered flag fell on Hamilton’s most competitive race of the season – one he claimed he should have won if Mercedes did not fluff their strategy lines – the stewards declared his car’s machinery did not comply with the regulations. The depth of the new floor on Hamilton’s Mercedes was adjudged to be “outside the thresholds outlined in Article 3.5.9 e).” – which states that the plank cannot wear to below 9mm thickness. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished sixth, was disqualified for the same breach following Sunday’s 56-lap race at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas. Hamilton’s demise elevated Lando Norris to runner-up behind Max Verstappen, who claimed the 50th win of his career and 15th from 18 this season, and Carlos Sainz to third. Sergio Perez was promoted to fourth to extend his lead over Hamilton in the fight for runner-up in the championship from 27 points to 39 with four races left. Mercedes’ sporting director Ron Meadows, trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin and reliability chief Richard Lane were summoned to fight Hamilton’s corner with the FIA’s four stewards – which included former British driver Derek Warwick – at 6pm local time (midnight BST). After 30 minutes, the trio emerged from the FIA offices in the paddock before Hamilton’s punishment was handed down at 7.16pm local time (1.16am BST). It is understood Mercedes will not appeal the FIA’s verdict. A statement from the FIA read: “During the hearing the team acknowledged that the measurement performed by the FIA Technical Team was correct and stated that the high wear on the skid pads was probably a result of the unique combination of the bumpy track and the sprint race schedule (on Saturday) that minimised the time to set up and check the car before the race. “The stewards note that the onus is on the competitor to ensure that the car is in compliance with the regulations at all times during an event.” It continued: “In this particular case, the rear skid in the area defined in the technical delegate’s report was outside of the thresholds outlined in Article 3.5.9 e) of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations, which includes a tolerance for wear. “Therefore, the standard penalty for a breach of the technical regulations is imposed.” Four cars were chosen at random following the race. Both Verstappen’s Red Bull and Norris’ McLaren passed the scrutineering checks. Michael Schumacher was disqualified from the 1994 Belgian Grand Prix for an illegal floor, allowing Damon Hill to win the race. The post-race penalties on Sunday night saw Williams’ Logan Sargeant claim his maiden point in F1 – the first American to score in the sport since Michael Andretti 30 years ago for McLaren at the Italian Grand Prix. Read More Max Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States Grand Prix victory I can do something wiser with my time – George Russell stops using social media Charles Leclerc snatches pole position after Max Verstappen’s lap was deleted Daniel Ricciardo ready for AlphaTauri return at United States Grand Prix On this day in 2009: Jenson Button crowned Formula One world champion in Brazil FIA to review Qatar GP as ‘dangerous’ temperatures prompt driver complaints

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are under investigation following a potential breach of rules governing the floor of their cars – and could be disqualified from Sunday’s United States Grand Prix. Hamilton and Leclerc, who finished second and sixth respectively in the race won by Max Verstappen, are being investigated by the stewards following a plank wear inspection in Austin. The FIA note reveals that the cars of Verstappen and Lando Norris were also inspected, but passed the checks. The report from FIA technical delegate Joe Bauer states: “A physical floor and a plank wear inspection was carried out on car numbers 16 [Leclerc] and 44 [Hamilton]. “The skids located in this area are found to be not in compliance with Article 3.5.9 e) of the 2023 Formula One Technical Regulations. “I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration.” Both Mercedes and Ferrari have been summoned to see the stewards. The section of the rulebook referred to reads: “The thickness of the plank assembly measured normal to the lower surface must be 10mm [plus or minus] 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.” Breaches of technical checks of the car often result in disqualification, with a recent example being Hamilton from qualifying in Brazil in 2021. The seven-time world champion was already in hot water after crossing a live track at the last race in Qatar and was spoken to again in Texas due to his status as a “role model.” Leclerc started Sunday’s race on pole but, opting for a different strategy, fell behind after Lando Norris stole a march on the Ferrari at the start. Hamilton, meanwhile, came close to victory after reeling in Verstappen at the end. The 38-year-old has now not won in nearly two years, with his last victory coming in Saudi Arabia in December 2021. A disqualification would mean Hamilton loses 18 points in the championship standings, while Leclerc would lose eight points. Read More Lando Norris reflects on 2023 win prospects after another near-miss in Austin Lewis Hamilton rues Mercedes error which cost him victory at US Grand Prix Max Verstappen booed by American fans on podium after victory Max Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States Grand Prix victory F1 United States Grand Prix LIVE: Race reaction and results in Austin Max Verstappen holds off Lewis Hamilton challenge to win US sprint race