Three racers disqualified from F1 Chinese Grand Prix Hamilton, Leclerc, and Gasly

On March 23 evening, the Chinese Grand Prix was thrown into chaos after post-race technical inspections led to the disqualification of Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and Pierre Gasly.

The trio were found to have violated FIA technical regulations, resulting in significant changes to the final race standings.

Leclerc’s Ferrari and Gasly’s Alpine were both found to be under the minimum weight limit, while Hamilton’s Ferrari failed the plank wear test, prompting stewards to disqualify all three drivers,m Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

According to FIA regulations, Formula 1 cars must weigh at least 800 kilograms post-race, with all fuel drained. Initial measurements showed that Leclerc and Gasly’s cars were on the limit, but further checks revealed they were one kilogram under the threshold, leading to their disqualification.

Leclerc’s Ferrari sustained damage to the front wing following a first-lap collision with Hamilton. However, Ferrari was allowed to replace the wing before the car was weighed, ensuring compliance with regulations at that stage. The subsequent weight deficit, however, left no room for leniency from race officials.

Hamilton’s disqualification stemmed from excessive wear on the plank, a wood resin strip under the car that helps regulate ride height. FIA regulations stipulate that the plank must maintain a minimum thickness of 9mm. Post-race inspection revealed that Hamilton’s plank measured 8.6mm on the left-hand side and centerline, and 8.5mm on the right-hand side—below the legal limit.

The FIA stewards issued a statement explaining their decision: “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 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.”

As a result of these disqualifications, the race’s final top ten saw a major reshuffle. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri inherited the victory, followed by teammate Lando Norris in second and Mercedes’ George Russell in third. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished fourth, while Esteban Ocon secured a surprising fifth-place finish for Haas.

By Khagan Isayev