Possible Spa DQ

[John S]

All cars are completely drained of fuel before weighing as the rules state: -Article 4.1 of F1’s technical rules, regarding “minimum mass” of each car.
 “The mass of the car, without fuel, must not be less than 798kg, at all times during the competition.

Yes Andy I realise that's what the rulebook says, however I'm not sure every car is drained totally by FIA after each race.
See the attached FIA pdf issued after the Belgian GP below.

I know FIA definitely take 1 litre sample post race from one or more cars chosen at random to check against file sample lodged with FIA. Whether all teams have litre sample taken or just randomly selected cars is not disclosed in FIA document.

Not sure FIA routinely drain tanks unless there is either an issue with retrieving enough (i.e. a litre) from any car, especially the randomly selected candidate/s, an offence in itself, or a car appears close to or underweight such as with George's Merc. Nothing about this disclosed in FIA document either.

Probably like most of FIA Regs teams self police and remove fuel themselves before each car is weighed. 

Post race checks are one of the mysteries still not fully unravelled to us the great unwashed masses. 

https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2024%20Belgian%20Grand%20Prix%20-%20Race%20Scrutineering.pdf

[lkjohnson1950]

Mercedes is still struggling to understand why George's car was underweight. They say George's and Lewis' cars weighrd the same at the end of Qually. Post race they also found George's car had an unusual amount of plank wear.

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/31/high-plank-wear-also-a-factor-in-russells-disqualification-say-mercedes/

[Jericoke]

Mercedes is still struggling to understand why George's car was underweight. They say George's and Lewis' cars weighrd the same at the end of Qually. Post race they also found George's car had an unusual amount of plank wear.

https://www.racefans.net/2024/07/31/high-plank-wear-also-a-factor-in-russells-disqualification-say-mercedes/

I believe that Mercedes uses computer simulations to drive their strategy, and we've seen it make mistakes in the past.  I genuinely believe that whatever they did at the race didn't line up with whatever the computer predicted.  It's still a mistake by the team, obviously, but I can understand that given all the variables involved, they can't say for sure what went 'wrong'.  Would a hair less downforce have helped?  Taking kerbs a little easier?  Letting Hamilton through so there wasn't a fight, mild as it was, between the drivers?

I think most of us have enough experience with computers as they're only capable of doing what they're told, and Mercedes didn't give the computer the right information to make the best decision.

[John S]

Mercedes is still struggling to understand why George's car was underweight. They say George's and Lewis' cars weighrd the same at the end of Qually. Post race they also found George's car had an unusual amount of plank wear.

Yeah Lonny I read elsewhere that Merc found extra plank wear, so George could have failed the plank test too - if any had been conducted post race.

Within the document I've already posted there is no mention of post race plank checks. 

D'ya think they were afraid to make any checks? So many cars bottomed out thru Eau Rouge FIA may not have mustered a podium at all? 

[lkjohnson1950]

Now that would be interesting, John. Like Sauber and Williams on the podium because they had they only legal cars in the race.