Liam Lawson has been disqualified from Qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix following a technical breach on his Racing Bulls challenger.
The New Zealander had qualified an impressive eighth ahead of his team mate Arvid Lindblad in the closely-fought session, but was due to lose a position after he received a one-place grid penalty for an earlier incident with Red Bull‘s Max Verstappen in FP2.
While that would’ve left him to start the race from P9, Lawson was referred to the stewards after it was noted that he was “in breach of the minimum MGU-K power requirement just after crossing the line on his fastest lap in Q2”.
The FIA Technical Delegate’s report added: “The driver maximum power demand and the electrical DC power of the ERS-K were reduced at greater rates than what is permitted by the Regulations.”
Lawson was therefore summoned after Qualifying and it was determined that the infringement warranted disqualification, which means that he is due to start the race from the back of the grid.
The stewards heard from Racing Bulls’ representatives, Lawson, the Single Seater Sporting Director and members of the FIA Technical team, including the FIA Technical Delegate.
“Evidence submitted, which was accepted by all parties present, showed that after the control line at the end of his fastest lap in Q2, the driver did not lift off the power immediately,” read the stewards’ decision document. “This resulted in the rate of reduction of MGU-K deployment required to achieve the regulated ‘step down’, not being achieved.
“The team argued that this did not provide any performance advantage however it is clear that non-compliance with the Technical Regulations is not excused if no performance advantage is gained. Further, these regulations require that a car must comply with them at all times during an event.
“The stewards note in particular that the team self-disclosed the breach however there are a multitude of precedents that require us, despite all mitigating circumstances, to impose a penalty of disqualfication where a car does not comply with the Technical Regulations.”
