Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari passed a detailed post-race inspection by FIA officials following the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, with the findings cleared just days before this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix, but what exactly were they looking for?
According to FIA Formula 1 Technical Delegate Jo Bauer's Report issued on June 24, car number 44 was randomly selected among the top ten finishers after the Barcelona race for more extensive physical checks. The inspection covered the hardware, electronics, and software sides of the rear brake system.
On the hardware side, checks were carried out in relation to the following articles governing the rear brake system:
- Article C11.1
- Article C11.2 (rear only)
- Article C11.3 (rear only)
- Article C11.4
- Article C11.5
- Article C11.6
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On the electronics and software side, the following were inspected:
- Brake control software registration and verification
- Software inspection for interfaces to standard and custom software applications
- Sensor identification and connections to the FIA standard ECU
- Data logging of signals
- Homologation status of sensors
- FIA-F1-DOC-001 submissions
- BBW FMEA
All inspected components were found to be in full conformance with the 2026 Formula 1 Technical Regulations. Hamilton and Ferrari will face no further action as a result of the checks.
Context Behind Random Inspection of Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari
The inspection is part of a routine yet random post-race process in which the FIA randomly selects cars from the top ten finishers for more detailed scrutiny. While it can appear alarming on the surface, it is a standard compliance procedure rather than a targeted investigation into Hamilton or Ferrari specifically, something worth keeping in mind given the timing, coming just days after Hamilton's first win in Ferrari red.
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For Hamilton, the clean bill of health will come as welcome news ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend, where the seven-time world champion will be looking to build on his Barcelona victory and put further pressure on the 2026 F1 World Drivers' Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who now leads by just 41 points.
Past Inspections This 2026 F1 Season So Far
The Austrian Grand Prix inspection is not the first time the FIA has put a car under the microscope this season. Following the Melbourne race, George Russell's Mercedes was randomly selected for checks on the front wing adjuster system, with all components found to be compliant. After Miami, Carlos Sainz's Williams was chosen for inspections covering the front wing adjuster system and all attached sensors, again returning a clean result.
Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images
Most recently, ahead of the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, Nico Hulkenberg's Audi was selected following Monaco for checks on the steering rack and steering column, with all inspected components once again found to be in full conformance with the 2026 Technical Regulations.
In each case, the outcome has been the same: full compliance. Hamilton's car is simply the latest to go through the process, and with the championship heating up, it is unlikely to be the last.