In a dramatic post-race twist, the FIA disqualified three drivers following the conclusion of the Chinese GP turning the final race order on its head.
Gasly, Leclerc, and Hamilton Out of the Chinese Grand Prix
What was a dominant weekend for McLaren ended with controversy elsewhere on the grid.
Oscar Piastri delivered a flawless performance, converting his first-ever Formula 1 pole position into a commanding victory. His teammate, Lando Norris, followed behind despite battling brake issues, securing McLaren’s 50th 1-2 finish in the sport.
With McLaren dominant, it was vital teams maximised performance to keep up with the British team. All points are valuable as gaps are closed in the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship.
Despite this, Ferrari and Alpine made costly mistakes. Post-race, the FIA announced that Pierre Gasly, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were disqualified from the Chinese GP.
Trouble at Ferrari
The 56-lap race at the Shanghai International Circuit unfolded largely without incident after the start.
However, Ferrari endured an early scare when Leclerc clipped Hamilton’s car on the opening lap.
The contact damaged Leclerc’s SF-25, tearing off his left-side endplate. The Monegasque continued, seemingly unaffected by the loss. If anything, his pace quickened.
READ MORE: Ferrari at the Chinese GP: A Rollercoaster of Resurgence and Challenges in Shanghai
Post-Race Drama
Despite this, the real drama only emerged hours after the chequered flag.
The FIA confirmed in an announcement that Leclerc, Hamilton, and Gasly had all been disqualified for separate breaches of technical regulations.
Following post-Race technical checks, 3 cars have been disqualified from the #ChineseGP 🇨🇳 #FIA #F1 pic.twitter.com/C27QHwmJ29
— FIA (@fia) March 23, 2025
The scrutiny began when routine post-race checks revealed both Leclerc’s Ferrari and Gasly’s Alpine were under the minimum weight of 800kg.
Consequently, both drivers fell foul of Article 4.1 of the FIA technical regulations, leading to their disqualification from the results.
Meanwhile, further investigation into Hamilton’s car revealed another costly error.
According to the FIA, the Briton’s Ferrari failed the skid block wear test, with measurements falling below the mandatory 9mm thickness. This infringement breached Article 3.5.9 e) of the technical rulebook.
Soon after, the FIA confirmed Ferrari’s nightmare double disqualification, removing their drivers of their fifth and sixth-place finishes. Gasly’s penalty left Alpine equally empty-handed.
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A Disastrous End to the Weekend
Ferrari and Alpine depart Shanghai with zero points. This deals an early blow to the Scurderia’s championship campaign.
The revised race order also hands McLaren an even greater cause for celebration, while rivals such as Williams could capitalise on the Italian team’s costly setbacks.
READ NEXT: McLaren at the Chinese GP: A Dominant 1-2 Finish
Main Photo:
Credit: IMAGO / Eibner
Recording Date: 16.03.2025
