P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Plank wear disqualifications aren’t new in Formula 1 but they are rare. Ex-F1 technical director Gary Andrson explains where Mercedes and Ferrari went wrong and how the FIA could better police it
“A disqualification for excessive plank wear is rare in Formula 1, but it remains a constant concern for teams, especially since the implementation of ground effect regulations last year. It was surprising to see both Mercedes and Ferrari caught out by this issue at the United States Grand Prix, resulting in Lewis Hamilton losing second place and Charles Leclerc losing sixth place. The wooden plank, now a dense wood laminate, was introduced in 1994 after the tragic deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna. It raised the car’s ride height and affected downforce, making the cars slower. Initially, ensuring compliance with the plank wear regulation was challenging, but later, specific skid positions and maximum skid areas were defined. However, the problem of excessive wear persists, as demonstrated by recent disqualifications. This shows that the regulation has withstood the test of time and remains a relevant concern, especially for ground-effect cars that run close to the ground.”
Source: The Race
