Photo credit: www.autosport.com
Leclerc and Hamilton Excluded from Chinese Grand Prix Following Technical Infractions
In a surprising turn of events, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton have been disqualified from the results of the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix due to violations of technical regulations. Additionally, Pierre Gasly from Alpine also faced exclusion, further complicating the race outcomes.
Following the race, the post-event scrutineering revealed that both Leclerc’s and Gasly’s cars weighed 799 kg after fuel was removed, which falls below the mandated minimum weight limit. Notably, Leclerc’s vehicle had undergone a replacement of its damaged front wing just prior to the weighing process.
FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer provided clarity regarding Leclerc’s situation. “After the conclusion of the race, car number 16 was measured, showing a weight of 800.0 kg, meeting the required minimum as stated in Technical Regulations Article 4.1,” he explained. “However, due to the damage to the front wing, the vehicle was re-weighed with an official spare assembly and recorded a weight of 800.5 kg. Following the removal of 2.0 liters of fuel, the subsequent weighing revealed a weight of just 799.0 kg. This finding falls 1.0 kg short of the minimum weight requirement, which must be adhered to throughout the competition.” As a result, Bauer decided to escalate the issue to the stewards for further evaluation.
In a related matter, scrutineers flagged Hamilton’s car for showing excessive wear on the rearmost underbody skid block, exceeding the permissible 1 mm wear limit. Measurements indicated that the thickness of Hamilton’s skid blocks ranged from 8.5 mm to 8.6 mm, with the minimum required thickness set at 9 mm.
“The rearmost skid was assessed following the team’s submissions in accordance with Technical Directive TD039 L, item 1.2 b) i),” the FIA noted. “Measurements taken from various points around the skid revealed that they were below the required thickness, thus raising further compliance concerns.” Hamilton’s case was also referred to the stewards for consideration.
No justifications were raised during the respective hearings by either Ferrari or Alpine representatives. The stewards noted that the teams accepted the accuracy of the measurements and acknowledged that no mitigating factors contributed to the infractions, labeling them as human errors.
As a consequence of these exclusions, both Leclerc and Hamilton, who finished in fifth and sixth place respectively, missed out on points, delivering a significant setback for Ferrari. Gasly, who concluded the race in 11th place, had already been poised to miss out on points.
With the amended results, Esteban Ocon of Haas has now risen to fifth place, along with other drivers like Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Alex Albon, and Oliver Bearman moving up in the standings. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Carlos Sainz from Williams also benefited, securing positions in the points-paying slots.
This incident is reminiscent of the previous season when both Hamilton and Leclerc faced disqualification during the US Grand Prix in Austin for similar issues related to skid wear, highlighting ongoing challenges teams face in adhering to the stringent technical regulations of Formula 1.
Source
www.autosport.com