In a surprising turn of events, Lewis Hamilton was disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix after his Ferrari failed a routine post-race technical check. Having started the race in fifth place, the seven-time World Champion ended the event in sixth spot prior to his eventual expulsion.
Here’s everything you need to know regarding why Lewis Hamilton was disqualified in his second-ever race for Ferrari.
Reason why Lewis Hamilton was disqualified
The Formula One veteran received his marching orders from the Chinese GP, despite successfully completing the race, for excessive skid-block wear in his car.
During a post-race inspection, FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer noted that the thickness of the plank assembly in Hamilton’s vehicle fell below the required minimum 9mm limit. According to the examination conducted by Bauer, the skid block of the ex-Mercedes driver’s car measured 8.6mm on the left-hand side, 8.6mm on the centreline, and 8.5mm on the right-hand side after the race.
While teams generally attempt to have a lower ground clearance in their vehicles to achieve aerodynamic gain, they must ensure that skid blocks on the wooden plank in cars do not wear beyond the verified limit. As Lewis Hamilton’s SF-25 failed to meet the requirements after finishing the race, he was promptly disqualified from the Chinese GP.
Adding to Ferrari’s woes, Charles Leclerc also lost his fifth-place finish in the event, getting debarred due to the illegal post-race weight of his car. The automobile giants have since issued an official reaction to the disqualification of Lewis Hamilton and his Monégasque teammate, stating, “Charles was on a one-stop strategy today, and this meant his tire wear was very high, causing the car to be underweight. With regard to Lewis’ skid wear, we misjudged the consumption by a small margin. There was no intention to gain any advantage. (via Sky Sports)
Having lost 18 points due to the unexpected elimination of both their drivers, Ferrari is now in fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship, a whopping 61 points behind table-toppers McLaren.
