Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc disqualified from Chinese GP as Ferrari’s technical woes continue

The Chinese Grand Prix delivered a shocking twist as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, along with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, were disqualified for technical infringements. The post-race scrutiny revealed that their cars failed to meet FIA regulations, leading to a major shake-up in the final race classification.

During the routine post-race checks, Leclerc and Gasly’s cars were found to weigh 799kg after fuel removal—1kg below the minimum weight requirement. In Leclerc’s case, a damaged front wing had been replaced with a spare during weighing, yet the final measurement still fell short. FIA delegate Jo Bauer noted, “The car was weighed again on the FIA scales (with the official spare front wing assembly of car 16) and the weight was 799.0kg.” This breach of Article 4.1 left no room for mitigation, leading to an immediate referral to the stewards.

Hamilton’s disqualification, on the other hand, stemmed from excessive wear on his car’s underbody skid block. Measurements showed the rearmost skid block had worn below the minimum 9mm thickness, registering values between 8.5mm and 8.6mm. The FIA’s report clarified, “The recorded measurement was 8.6mm (LHS), 8.6mm (car centerline) and 8.5mm (RHS).” As a result, Hamilton’s car was deemed non-compliant under Article 3.5.9, sealing his disqualification.

Ferrari’s hopes for a strong finish in Shanghai were crushed as both Hamilton and Leclerc lost their hard-earned fifth and sixth places, stripping them of 18 crucial points. While Gasly had finished outside the top ten in 11th, his disqualification added to Alpine’s woes.
Interestingly, this is not the first time Hamilton and Leclerc have faced such setbacks. The 2023 United States Grand Prix saw both drivers disqualified for excessive skid wear, further underscoring the fine margins in modern Formula 1 regulations.
The race had already been eventful for Ferrari, with Hamilton and Leclerc making contact on the opening lap. The minor clash resulted in damage to Leclerc’s front wing, yet he managed to maintain competitive pace throughout the 56-lap race. Oddly, despite the damage, he displayed superior speed, prompting Ferrari to instruct Hamilton to yield position midway through the race.
Leclerc later dismissed the incident, stating, “Honestly, it’s not Lewis’s fault at all… It’s a racing incident, it’s not the first or last time it will happen.” His refusal to change the damaged wing at the pit stop was a calculated gamble, as he explained, “We didn’t want to take the eight seconds to change the wing, didn’t want to take that risk.”
With Hamilton, Leclerc, and Gasly’s results nullified, Esteban Ocon surged to a surprising fifth-place finish for Haas. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Alex Albon, and Oliver Bearman gained valuable positions, while Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Williams’ Carlos Sainz moved into the final points-paying spots.
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This unexpected outcome has delivered a significant blow to Ferrari’s championship ambitions early in the 2025 season. Meanwhile, Alpine will be left reeling from yet another setback. As the F1 circus moves forward, teams will be under immense pressure to ensure full compliance with FIA regulations to avoid similar heartbreaks.