BREAKING: Ferrari Explains Mistake That Led to Lewis Hamilton’s…read more
BREAKING: Ferrari Explains ERROR That Led to Lewis Hamilton’s…read more
Ferrari has clarified the miscalculation that resulted in both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc being disqualified from the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. The penalty cost the team valuable points, dropping them to fifth in the Constructors’ Championship.
Ferrari’s Post-Race Disqualification Drama
Ferrari’s weekend in Shanghai ended in disappointment after both of their drivers were removed from the final classification following post-race inspections. Leclerc, who finished fifth, was disqualified after his car was found to be underweight, while Hamilton, who crossed the line in sixth, was penalized for excessive plank wear.
In a statement, Ferrari explained the reasons behind the violations:
“After the FIA’s post-race checks, both our cars failed to meet the regulations for separate reasons. Car 16 (Leclerc) was 1kg under the minimum weight limit, while car 44 (Hamilton) had rearward skid wear that was 0.5mm below the legal threshold.”
Ferrari attributed Leclerc’s issue to tyre degradation caused by his one-stop strategy, which led to a reduction in car weight. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s excessive skid wear was described as a small miscalculation by the team.
“For Lewis, we slightly misjudged the skid wear. There was no intention to gain any advantage. We will take this as a learning experience and ensure such mistakes don’t happen again.”
Impact on Ferrari’s Season
With both drivers disqualified, Ferrari failed to score any points in Shanghai, dropping behind Williams to fifth in the Constructors’ standings. The team now trails leaders McLaren by 61 points.
The disqualification also affected the Drivers’ Championship standings, with Hamilton falling to ninth and Leclerc to tenth after losing their points from the race.
A Frustrating Weekend for Hamilton
Hamilton’s weekend had started on a high note after securing victory in the sprint race, his first win in Ferrari colors. However, the main Grand Prix proved to be a struggle.
The race began with drama when Hamilton and Leclerc made contact on the opening lap, damaging Leclerc’s front wing. Despite this, Leclerc maintained strong pace, while Hamilton’s performance remained a concern for the team.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur refrained from blaming anyone but acknowledged that the team needed to improve.
This is not how we wanted to end our weekend in Chinafor ourselves or for our passionate fans, whose support is always unwavering.”
Ferrari will now focus on recovering in the upcoming races. With McLaren and Mercedes displaying strong early-season form, the Scuderia must correct their technical and strategic errors to stay competitive in both championships.
