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Lewis Hamilton's weekend at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix ended in heartbreak as the seven-time World Champion was disqualified from the race due to a technical infringement. Ferrari’s troubles were compounded as Charles Leclerc was also disqualified for a separate breach, making it a disastrous day for the Italian outfit.
Hamilton's Skid Block Breach Leads to Disqualification
After securing an impressive Sprint victory on Saturday, Hamilton’s main race on Sunday was far more challenging. The Briton struggled to match the pace of his rivals after an early collision with teammate Charles Leclerc on Lap 1, eventually crossing the finish line in P6. However, post-race checks revealed that Hamilton’s rear skid block failed to meet the minimum thickness required by the FIA’s Technical Regulations.
Official Stewards' Decision
A document released after the stewards' hearing detailed the findings:
“The plank assembly of Car 44 was measured and found to be 8.6mm (LHS), 8.6mm (car centerline) and 8.5mm (RHS). This is below the minimum thickness of 9mm specified under Article 3.5.9 of the Technical Regulations.”
The hearing confirmed that Ferrari acknowledged the breach and admitted it was an error on their part. Given that the breach violated Article 3.5.9, the stewards had no choice but to impose the standard penalty of disqualification.
Leclerc and Gasly Disqualified for Car Weight Breach
Hamilton wasn’t the only driver to suffer from the fiddling of Ferrari with a disqualification. Charles Leclerc was disqualified from P5 after it turned out his SF-25 was 1kg below the minimum weight limit. The Technical Delegate's report confirmed the weight breach after examining the car post-race, and that led to Leclerc's disqualification.
Pierre Gasly from Alpine was another driver in a similar boat, with his car also being underweight. Gasly's disqualification compounded Alpine's woes, with the entire team yet to score a point in the 2025 season.
Ferrari's Nightmare Weekend
The double disqualification turned Ferrari's world upside down. The P5 and P6 results by Leclerc and Hamilton were deleted from the records, which moved Esteban Ocon, Kimi Antonelli, Alex Albon, and Ollie Bearman up two positions. Lance Stroll and Carlos Sainz benefited from that classification change into the points.
Piastri Triumphs with McLaren 1-2
McLaren-like Oscar Piastri adds insult on Ferrari's injury by establishing a statement: the Australian won it this time for the 2025 season. Piastri dismissed teammate Lando Norris and Mercedes' George Russell for a comfortable win, marking a glorious day for McLaren with a 1-2 finish.
Repercussions from Ferrari's Double Blow
The double disqualification has ferrari scrambling for answers, with team principal Fred Vasseur saying that the errors were a matter of procedural miscalculations. A full internal review is expected from the team to avoid making the same error in the races going forward.
“We apologize to our drivers and fans. It was a genuine error, and we will investigate thoroughly to ensure this does not happen again,” Vasseur commented after the disqualifications.
The disqualifications of Hamilton and Leclerc have reshaped the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix standings and delivered a major blow to Ferrari’s championship hopes. While McLaren celebrated a triumphant day in Shanghai, Ferrari faces a steep uphill battle to recover lost ground as the season progresses.
