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Forbes
23-03-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
F1 Skid Block Explained: Why Was Lewis Hamilton Disqualified From 2025 Chinese GP?
SHANGHAI, CHINA - MARCH 23: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Scuderia Ferrari SF-25 ... More arrives on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit on March 23, 2025 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Sutton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) What began as a dream weekend for Lewis Hamilton at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix turned into a nightmare following his disqualification from the race. After clinching his first win with Ferrari in Saturday's sprint, having secured a surprising pole position the day before, the Brit's fortunes plummeted during the main event on Sunday. The trouble started on the opening lap when Hamilton made contact with his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, damaging the Monegasque's front wing. The seven-time champion then struggled with pace, opting for a two-stop strategy in hopes that fresh tires would give him the pace he needed. It didn't pay off however, and he finished the race in sixth place just behind Leclerc. The situation then worsened when post-race checks found that the plank on Hamilton's Ferrari was below the minimum thickness required by FIA regulations. The rearmost skid thickness measured 8.6mm at two points and 8.5mm at another — below the minimum 9mm thickness, which means an automatic disqualification. A statement released by the FIA explained, '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. 'During the hearing 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. 'The Stewards determine that Article 3.5.9 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty of a disqualification needs to be applied for such an infringement.' The disqualification not only wiped out the eight championship points Hamilton earned for finishing in sixth place but was also another slap in the face for the team as Leclerc faced the same fate after post-race checks found his car to be under the minimum required weight, as did Pierre Gasly's Alpine. This wasn't the first time Hamilton faced a disqualification for excessive plank wear however as he encountered a similar situation at the 2023 United States Grand Prix while racing for Mercedes, for which Leclerc was also disqualified for the same issue. Planks, usually made of permaglass, are plates installed beneath every F1 car from front to back. Introduced in 1994 following the tragic deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, they act as a safety feature to maintain a minimum ride height and prevent cars from riding too low. They also protect the car's floor when it goes over kerbs or rough surfaces at high speeds. As for the skid blocks, these are titanium plates installed in different parts of the plank to help maintain the required height. They also cause the car to spark when it hits the ground. The damaged underfloor 'plank' with embedded circular titanium studs of a McLaren MP4-29 Formula One ... More racing car driven by either British McLaren Formula One racing team racing driver Jenson Button or his Mexican teammate Sergio 'Checo' Perez with usage information written in black ink and showing track surface scuff damage in the team's pit lane, pit garage during practice for the 2014 Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull Ring, Austria, on the 20th June 2014. (Photo by) After each race, officials select cars for checks to ensure compliance with FIA's technical regulations. They take measurements in the 50-mm-diameter holes drilled into the plank and titanium skid blocks. According to the regulations, the thickness of the plank assembly should be 10mm plus or minus 0.2mm when new. The plank can wear down during the race but it cannot be less than 9mm thick when measured at the designated holes. If the plank or skid's thickness falls below 9mm, the car is in violation of the technical regulations and will be disqualified. Article 3.5.9 of the 2025 technical regulations states, 'The thickness of the plank assembly measured normal to the lower surface must be 10mm ± 0.2mm and must be uniform when new. A minimum thickness of 9mm will be accepted due to wear, and conformity to this provision will be checked at the peripheries of the designated holes. 'The plank assembly must have four precisely placed holes the positions of which are given by RV-PLANK. To establish the conformity of the plank assembly after use, its thickness will only be measured at these holes, regardless of whether plank or skid material is present.'
Forbes
23-03-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
The F1 Car Weight Rule That Cost Leclerc And Gasly 2025 Chinese GP Results
SHANGHAI, CHINA - MARCH 23: Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving the (16) Scuderia Ferrari SF-25 on ... More track during the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit on March 23, 2025 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by) Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly have both faced disqualification from the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix after their Ferrari and Alpine cars were found to be underweight during post-race checks. Leclerc crossed the finish line in fifth place, while Gasly missed out on scoring Alpine's first point of the season, ending up in 11th behind Oliver Bearman of Haas. Following the race, both drivers were summoned by the stewards for alleged breaches of Article 4.1 of the Technical Regulations. According to the FIA report, Leclerc's Ferrari weighed exactly 800 kg after returning to the pits — the minimum weight mandated by the regulations excluding fuel. However, as his car's front wing sustained damage in an early contact with teammate Lewis Hamilton, the SF-25 car was re-weighed with the retrieved endplate and a spare front wing, bringing the total weight to 800.5 kg. When two liters of fuel were later drained from the car, the weight dropped to 799 kg, just below the minimum. 'After the race, car number 16 was weighed and its weight was 800.0kg, which is the minimum weight required by TR Article 4.1.,' said FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer. 'As the front wing was damaged (the missing FW endplate was recovered and weighed with the car), the car was re-weighed with an official spare front wing assembly of car 16 and its weight was 800.5kg. After this, fuel was drained out of the car and 2.0 litres of fuel were removed. 'The car was weighed again on the FIA scales (with the official spare front wing assembly of car 16) and the weight was 799.0kg. The calibration of the scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor. For information the spare front wing was 0.2kg heavier than the damaged one used during the race. As this is 1.0kg below the minimum weight requested in TR Article 4.1, which also has to be respected at all times during the competition, I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration.' Similarly, Gasly's car also registered at 800 kg during its first weight check. After removing 1.1 kg of fuel according to Alpine's draining procedure, his car was left at 799 kg. Therefore, the stewards decided to disqualify both drivers, stripping them of their race results. In Shanghai, China, on March 21, 2025, Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari and ... More Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Scuderia Ferrari walk in the paddock during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit. (Photo by QIan Jun/Paddocker/NurPhoto via Getty Images) To add to Ferrari's woes, Hamilton was also disqualified from sixth as the rear skid block on his car failed to meet the minimum thickness requirement – a bitter pill to swallow for the Brit who had secured his first victory for the team in the sprint earlier in the weekend. The Scuderia's double disqualification means that Esteban Ocon, Kimi Antonelli, Alex Albon, and Oliver Bearman were promoted by two positions, while Lance Stroll and Carlos Sainz also benefited by moving into the top ten thanks to Gasly's disqualification from 11th. The minimum weight of a Formula 1 car has changed significantly over the years, having increased from 585 kg in 2008 to 798 kg in 2022 – including a minimum driver weight of 80 kg and excluding fuel. This weight limit remained the same for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but for the 2025 season, it has risen to 800 kg (including driver, excluding fuel), allowing drivers to weigh up to 82 kg, which accounts for their body weight along with gear like helmets and race suits. Article 4.1 of the Technical Regulations reads, 'The mass of the car, without fuel, must not be less than 800kg plus the Heat Hazard Mass Increase (defined in Article 4.7), at any time during the Competition.' While there is no maximum weight limit, teams try to be as close to the minimum as possible to optimize performance. If a car is found to be below 800 kg, teams can add ballast to meet the required weight. Similarly, if a driver weighs under the minimum weight, ballast can also be used to compensate. Failure to comply with the minimum weight rule can lead to disqualification, just as it did for Leclerc and Gasly in China. A similar incident also occurred during the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix when George Russell's Mercedes was found to be underweight, costing him a race win and promoting Hamilton to victory. In 2026, the sport is set to undergo significant regulatory changes aimed at improving the quality of racing and increasing overtaking opportunities. The new regulations will require cars to be narrower, shorter, and lighter than in recent seasons, with the minimum F1 car weight dropping by 30 kg to a total of 768 kg. This will consist of 722 kg for the car and driver, plus an estimated 46 kg for the tires.
