Liam Lawson has lost his ninth-place starting position for the Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix after being disqualified from qualifying for a technical infringement involving the car’s MGU-K system.
Racing Bulls had placed both cars in Q3 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with Lawson and his teammate finishing as the best of the rest in eighth and ninth. Lawson’s exclusion, however, means he will start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid.
The FIA stewards found that Lawson breached the minimum MGU-K power requirement immediately after crossing the line on his fastest Q2 lap. The issue related to the required rampdown rate for the electrical power produced by the ERS-K system.
According to the FIA, Lawson’s car ran out of battery power at the end of the lap. MGU-K deployment consequently dropped to zero, while the power output fell instantly from 350kW to zero. Under Article C5.12.6 of the technical regulations, the reduction must take place progressively, at a maximum rate of either 50kW or 100kW per second depending on the competition.
The stewards stated that Lawson did not lift off the power immediately after crossing the control line. As a result, the regulated reduction in MGU-K deployment was not achieved, and both the driver’s maximum power demand and the ERS-K’s electrical power fell faster than the regulations allow.
Racing Bulls self-reported the breach, and all parties agreed that the infringement had not delivered a sporting advantage. That did not prevent the penalty, as the stewards noted that technical regulations must be followed throughout an event and that a lack of performance benefit does not excuse non-compliance.
The stewards also referred to previous precedents requiring disqualification for technical breaches. The ruling leaves Lawson facing a recovery drive from the back of the grid, while the result benefits Alpine in the fight for fifth place in the constructors’ championship. Racing Bulls retains a 33-point advantage in the standings.
Sources: Autosport.