At the 2023 United States Grand Prix, held at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton faced a significant setback after being disqualified.

The disqualification came as a result of post-race technical inspections that found their cars to be in violation of the rules regarding the plank wear on the floor of their cars.

The wooden plank, or skid block, is a mandatory component on all F1 cars. It is designed to limit how low the car can run to the ground to prevent excessive downforce, which could offer a performance advantage.

FIA regulations state: “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.”

This is precisely where both Leclerc’s Ferrari and Hamilton’s Mercedes didn’t meet regulations, as the plank had worn down beyond the limit, leading to their immediate disqualification from the race.

Hamilton, who had crossed the line in second place behind Max Verstappen, lost crucial points in his battle to challenge for the runner-up spot in the championship. Leclerc, who had originally finished sixth, also lost his valuable points.

This incident brought back discussions about car setups, track conditions, and how aggressive suspension setups can cause too much plank wear.

Mercedes and Ferrari both blamed the combination of bumps and fast corners at the COTA track for the increased wear, but the decision remained unchanged.

Ultimately, the disqualification handed more points to drivers further down the finishing order, benefiting McLaren’s Lando Norris and also promoting Carlos Sainz to the podium, while Verstappen’s win remained unaffected.