In a surprising turn of events at the Chinese Grand Prix, Ferrari experienced a double whammy as both of their leading drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, faced disqualification, obliterating their points finishes. Ferrari has since issued a clarifying statement on the unexpected and disappointing outcome.
Leclerc, who had to navigate the entire race with a missing front wing end plate, following a collision with Hamilton’s rear wheel during the inaugural lap, showed impressive skill and resilience. Despite the damage, he was able to steer his vehicle to the fifth position. It was only in the last few laps that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, with a rejuvenated set of tyres, managed to overtake him.
Meanwhile, Hamilton, who failed to replicate his performance from the Sprint race, grappled with his pace throughout the race. However, he managed to secure a sixth-place finish. But the joy was short-lived as it was later revealed that both Ferrari cars, along with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, were disqualified.
The critical element leading into the race was the strategic choice between a one-stop or two-stop race, considering the challenging 56 laps around the Shanghai International Circuit. With most front runners, Leclerc included, choosing a one-stop strategy, they had to nurse one set of hard tyres to the end of the race. Hamilton decided to pit a second time, hoping for a potential safety car or severe tyre degradation among other drivers.
Post-race scrutiny from FIA led to the discovery that Leclerc’s car was a kilogram underweight, while Hamilton’s car had a rear skid plate below the allowed limit. The reason for Leclerc’s car dropping below the weight limit was identified as high tyre degradation, leading to the disqualification of both Ferrari cars.
In their statement, Ferrari acknowledged the findings, stating, “Following the FIA post-race scrutineering, both our cars were found not to conform to the regulations for different reasons. Car 16 was found to be underweight by 1kg and Car 44’s rearward skid wear was found to be 0.5mm below the limit. We misjudged the consumption by a small margin.”
They also promised to learn from these missteps, expressing their regret over the unfortunate end to their Chinese GP weekend, especially for their dedicated fanbase.
Leclerc’s considerable effort to keep his Ferrari in the points positions, in spite of the wing damage, ended up being futile due to the disqualification. Reflecting on the race, he said, “There was the potential to do a lot better. We didn’t want to take the eight seconds at the pit stop for changing the front wing because then I would have needed to overtake cars. It’s a shame for the damage.”
This shocking disqualification of Ferrari’s leading drivers at the Chinese GP is a stark reminder of the influence of strategic decisions, technical compliance, and a bit of luck in shaping the outcomes in the world of motorsports.
