Suffering a double disqualification in Las Vegas when both MCL39\u2019s skid planks suffered excessive wear, McLaren CEO Zak Brown would like to see refuelling return to the sport.<\/p>\n
Not that it would\u2019ve definitely prevented McLaren\u2019s double DSQ, but it would open the door to more weight questions, strategies and, ultimately, controversy.<\/p>\n
McLaren: But also add a big strategic dimension\u2026<\/p>\n
This season four cars; Lewis Hamilton\u2019s Ferrari in China, Nico Hulkenberg\u2019s Haas in Bahrain, Lando Norris\u2019s McLaren<\/a> in Las Vegas and also Oscar Piastri\u2019s, were disqualified from grands prix for excessive plank wear. <\/p>\n The regulations state that the thickness of the plank assembly should be 10mm plus or minus 0.2mm when new. <\/p>\n The plank normally wears down during the various sessions, including the grands prix, but it shouldn\u2019t be less than 9mm thick when measured after. That\u2019s done using specialised measuring devices where the FIA assesses the wear at four holes pre-drilled into the plank and skid. Each hole is 50mm in diameter and 10mm deep.<\/p>\n Article 3.5.9 of the 2025 technical regulations states, \u201cThe thickness of the plank assembly measured normal to the lower surface must be 10mm \u00b1 0.2mm and must be uniform when new. A minimum thickness of 9mm will be accepted due to wear, and conformity to this provision will be checked at the peripheries of the designated holes.\u201d<\/p>\n Hamilton\u2019s Ferrari failed the test in China, Hulkenberg\u2019s Haas in Bahrain and both McLarens in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n But on top of that, Charles Leclerc\u2019s Ferrari failed the weight test in China, his SF-25 found to be 1kg under the 800kg minimum weight, with Pierre Gasly\u2019s Alpine also recording the same measurement. They were also disqualified.<\/p>\n McLaren CEO Brown reckons there\u2019s a solution, but an intriguing one that won\u2019t make the teams\u2019 lives easier. In fact, it will make things a whole lot more difficult.<\/p>\n Refuelling.<\/p>\n Formula 1\u2019s season of change: F1 2026 explained<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 F1 2026 tech analysed: The future of overtaking and biggest car advantage identified<\/a><\/p>\n