As a result of technical rule violations on their Ferraris, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix. Post-race inspections revealed Leclerc’s car was underweight and Hamilton’s car had one of its skid blocks worn below the permitted level.
The decision also impacted Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, who was disqualified for the same weight issue.
Hamilton initially finished sixth in Sunday’s race, after a victory in Saturday’s Shanghai sprint—his first Ferrari win since moving to the team. Leclerc had placed fifth prior to his disqualification, while Gasly had finished 11th.
Ferrari released a statement explaining that there was “no intention to gain any advantage” from the discrepancies. The team said Leclerc’s problem was caused by over-tyre wear through his one-stop strategy, and Hamilton’s skid block consumption was caused by a small error in consumption.
“We will learn from what happened today and ensure we don’t repeat the same errors,” Ferrari said.
Formula 1 rules mandate that the cars have a certain ride height, which is enforced by skid blocks on the floor. The skids, which are located in the wooden plank under the car, should be above a minimum depth. Wearing out these parts excessively can gain a competitive edge by enabling the car to be run lower, improving aerodynamics and performance.
Hamilton’s Shanghai disqualification is reminiscent of a similar one he received at the 2023 United States Grand Prix when he was still racing for Mercedes.
Hamilton’s Saturday sprint victory remains a major milestone in his debut year at Ferrari, even the reverse. Still, this latest disqualification will probably revive controversies over technical adherence and the very small margins that could determine the success of a Formula 1 competitor.
