Hamilton, Leclerc Disqualified in Another Ferrari Disaster

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, along with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, were disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday due to technical violations. FIA stewards found that Leclerc and Gasly’s cars weighed below the 800 kg minimum. Hamilton’s car had excessive plank wear. Leclerc originally placed fifth. Hamilton finished in sixth place. Their disqualification means their points will be revoked. All lower-ranked drivers will move up two positions.

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Ferrari’s Disqualification Woes at the Chinese Grand Prix

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, along with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, were disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix due to technical violations. Gasly finished 11th. He was already out of the points. Leclerc originally placed fifth. Hamilton finished in sixth place. Their disqualification led to a reshuffling of positions among other drivers.

The disqualification marked a disappointing end to an otherwise promising weekend for Ferrari, which had seen Hamilton secure his first victory for the team in Saturday’s sprint race. Hamilton’s car violated regulations due to excessive plank wear, while Leclerc’s car failed to meet the 800 kg minimum weight requirement.

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The FIA stewards’ report confirmed that Hamilton’s plank assembly was below the minimum thickness of 9mm, measuring between 8.5mm and 8.6mm in various sections. The team admitted it was a genuine error with no mitigating circumstances. Similarly, Leclerc’s car weighed in at 799 kg, with both internal and external FIA scales confirming the result, and Ferrari did not contest the measurements.

This incident echoes Hamilton’s previous disqualification from the 2023 United States Grand Prix for a similar plank-wear issue. The skid plate, designed to prevent excessive wear, plays a crucial role in ground-effect downforce, and any excessive reduction can provide a performance advantage by allowing the car to run lower to the track.

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