Lewis Hamilton investigated by stewards for rear wing element at Brazil Grand Prix qualifying 

Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton, may be at risk of losing his pole position for the sprint race due to a technical breach of regulations during qualifying in Brazil. A penalty for the rear wing element infringement could result in the Briton starting the sprint race at the back of the grid.

FIA technical delegate Joe Bauer’s statement said:

“The uppermost rear wing element adjustable positions were checked on car number 44 for compliance with Article 3.6.3 of the 2021 Formula One Technical Regulations. The requirement for the minimum distance was fulfilled. But the requirement for the maximum of 85mm, when the DRS system is deployed and tested in accordance with TD/011-19, were not fulfilled.”

The Mercedes driver is being investigated for a Drag Reduction System infringement, which means his DRS wing flap opened more than the allowed limit during the qualifying session.

This investigation resulted in the technical delegate referring the matter to stewards, who will then decide the course of action for Lewis Hamilton.

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Lewis Hamilton outpaced Max Verstappen by 0.438 seconds in the Brazil Grand Prix qualifying

Bauer has referred the investigation to the stewards while a Mercedes representative has been summoned to the stewards to explain the situation. The course of judgment will be decided after Lewis Hamilton’s team debate the matter with the stewards.

Lewis Hamilton during qualifying ahead of the 2021 Brazil Grand Prix. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

With an existing five-place grid penalty for the main race, a disqualification could jeopardize Lewis Hamilton’s Brazilian weekend, where his team has been competitive against rivals.

A sprint and race penalty could hurt the seven-time world champion's chances of capitalizing on maximum points, in order to reduce the gap between Max Verstappen, with only three more races left on the post-Brazil calendar.