Ferrari Drivers Excluded from Chinese Grand Prix After Scrutineering Infractions
Ferrari has released a statement following the disqualification of both its drivers from the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday. Charles Leclerc, who initially finished fifth at the Shanghai International Circuit after being passed by Max Verstappen late in the race, and Carlos Sainz, who was one place behind in sixth, were both excluded from the final classification.
Post-Race Inspections Reveal Regulation Breaches
The disqualifications stemmed from post-race scrutineering conducted by FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer in Parc Ferme. Subsequently, engineers from both Leclerc and Sainz’s teams were summoned to meet with race stewards. The No. 16 car driven by Leclerc was found to be underweight by 1kg, while the No. 55 car of Sainz had skid blocks that measured below the allowed 9mm thickness.
Confirmation of Disqualifications
Following deliberations with the stewards, both Leclerc and Sainz were officially disqualified from the race results. Alpine driver Pierre Gasly also received the same penalty after his car was similarly found to be underweight by 1kg.
Ferrari Statement on Double Disqualification
Addressing the double disqualification, Ferrari issued a statement explaining the reasons behind the infringements: “Following the FIA post-race checks, both our cars were determined to be non-compliant with the regulations, albeit for distinct reasons.”
Reasons for Infringements
- Car #16 (Leclerc): Found to be underweight by 1kg. Ferrari stated that “Charles was utilizing a one-stop strategy which resulted in elevated tyre wear, subsequently causing the car to fall below the minimum weight requirement.”
- Car #55 (Sainz): Rear skid wear measured 0.5mm under the regulation limit. Ferrari acknowledged “a slight miscalculation in the anticipated wear of the skid blocks. There was absolutely no intention to seek any performance advantage.”
The team added, “We are committed to learning from today’s occurrences and ensuring that such errors are not repeated. This is certainly not the outcome we desired for our Chinese GP weekend, neither for the team nor for our devoted supporters.”
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Impact on Championship Standings
The double zero-point score in Sunday’s race represents a significant setback for Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship. The team, under the leadership of Fred Vasseur, has now dropped to fifth position in the standings, tied on points with Williams. Championship leaders McLaren now possess a 61-point advantage over their rivals from Maranello.
Drivers’ Championship Implications
For Leclerc and Sainz, the disqualification presents a considerable challenge in their pursuit of the 2025 Drivers’ Championship title. The Ferrari drivers now find themselves in ninth and tenth place respectively in the driver standings after two races, while championship leader Lando Norris currently holds 44 points.