Lewis Hamilton disqualified from Chinese GP as Ferrari suffer shock double DQ

Shortly after the confirmation of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc’s disqualification in Shanghai, Lewis Hamilton’s car has also been disqualified.

Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari underfloor plank has been found to have been over the permitted level of wear, triggering a referral to the FIA stewards, which was quickly confirmed as a disqualification. It marks a nightmare day for Ferrari, with both cars disqualified for separate technical infringements.

Lewis Hamilton’s floor wear triggers DQ from the Chinese Grand Prix

Hamilton, who finished sixth in the Chinese Grand Prix after employing a two-stop strategy, was referred to the stewards over the floor plank of his car.

According to FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer, who explained the skid wear procedure carried out on Hamilton’s car, the “rearmost skid was measured according to the team’s legality documents submission in accordance with TD039 L, item 1.2 b) I).

“Measurements were taken along the stiffness-compliant area at three different points of the periphery (inner arc).

“The recorded measurements were 8.6 mm (LHS), 8.6 mm (car centerline), and 8.5 mm (RHS).

“As this is less than the 9 mm minimum thickness required by TR Article 3.5.9 e), I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration.”

The stewards confirmed a summons was issued to Ferrari, for what transpired to be a straightforward breach of the technical regulations – triggering automatic disqualification.

“The Stewards heard from the team representative of Car 44 (Lewis Hamilton),” read the verdict.

“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.

“During the hearing,g the team representative confirmed that the measurement is correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly. The team also acknowledged that there were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error by the team.

“The Stewards determine that Article 3.5.9 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty of a disqualification needs to be applied for such an infringement.”

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Two seasons ago, Hamilton – coincidentally along with now teammate Leclerc – was disqualified from second place at the United States Grand Prix, due to excessive wear of his plank.

Leclerc’s fifth-place finish in China also came under threat due to a separate alleged technical transgression, which was quickly confirmed as being a disqualification.

Having raced to fifth with a damaged front wing, Ferrari was permitted to replace Leclerc’s front wing for weighing purposes but, even after this was done, the SF-75 was found to be a kilo underweight.

The car’s weight with the spare front wing attached came in at 800.5 kilogrammes but, once the fuel was drained out of the car, the weight came in at 799.0kg.

The spare front wing was also 0.2kg heavier than the damaged one used during the race. With the car a kilo underweight, the stewards found no mitigating factors and, with Ferrari accepting the FIA’s measurements, Leclerc was disqualified from the race.

Separately, Alpine was also summoned for a similar weight limit transgression on Pierre Gasly’s car, also a kilo underweight, with the same verdict reached – automatic disqualification from his 11th-place finish.

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