‘I could've been illegal as well’ - Drivers suggest more checks after DSQ drama

Hamilton and Leclerc were excluded from the final classification in Austin after the FIA found that their wooden plank had worn beyond the limit outlined in the regulations.

Only four cars were checked after the race - Max Verstappen and Lando Norris’ cars were deemed to be legal - with the rest of the grid not being looked at.

Nico Hulkenberg quipped ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix that his Haas could have been illegal, hinting that changes should be made.

“Well I might have been illegal myself, you never know,” he said in the FIA press conference. “Obviously these cars are very sensitive to the ride height - the lower you get the more downforce you get. 

“That’s the constant fight we have and we need to find the right balance. I think Austin is a bit specific with the bumpiness and a lot of apex and exit kerbs where you can run them quite aggressively. 

“You do use the plank and wear down those shins a lot. Maybe there’s something to be looked at in a different way, yes.”

McLaren’s Lando Norris admitted he was “surprised” by the disqualifications and questioned why more cars weren’t checked.

“I mean you’re always a little bit surprised,” he added. “I would have loved if they checked more cars. They should have [checked the whole grid]. 

“It can always bite you one day. My car was, they checked us first. It’s unlikely two cars are that different so there’s a high chance the other car is. It’s the way it went and the FIA did their job.”

Alex Albon also called for the FIA to complete more checks after races, particularly with teams that have fallen foul of the rules on one car, to check the second one.

“What the teams have in terms of data and information to set the ride heights for the weekend is very marginal,” he explained. “There’s not really enough time to fill the cars up in FP1 to just get a feel for where they need to be. 

“But on the same side I do think they don’t need to check every car at every race all of the time but if there’s one driver in one team illegal there’s a very high chance that the other car in the teammate of that driver is going to be illegal as well. 

“I don’t know how much it would take to check a couple of more cars but I don’t think that would be such an issue.”