Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari car found to be underweight in post-race checks: at risk of disqualification. Two drivers are at risk of a Chinese Grand Prix disqualification.

Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly are both facing potential disqualification from the Chinese Grand Prix following the discovery that their cars were underweight during post-race scrutineering, as confirmed by the FIA.

Charles Leclerc, who finished in fifth place, and Pierre Gasly, who crossed the line in 11th, both had their cars checked after the race, with the results revealing that both the Ferrari and Alpine cars fell below the 800kg minimum weight requirement outlined in the F1 regulations.

For Charles Leclerc’s car, Ferrari had already replaced the front wing after he suffered damage during the opening lap, following contact with his teammate Lewis Hamilton. The new front wing brought the car’s weight to 800.5kg, just over the minimum weight. However, after the required fuel sample was drained—2.0 liters in total—the car’s weight dropped to 799.0kg, with the front wing itself contributing an additional 0.2kg.

In Gasly’s case, his car initially weighed 800kg, but after 1.1kg of fuel was removed, it weighed 799.0kg, also under the allowed weight.

Both teams, Ferrari and Alpine, were present during the inspections and acknowledged the FIA’s findings regarding the weight discrepancies.

This situation recalls the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, where George Russell was disqualified after his car was found to be underweight following post-race checks, highlighting the importance of adhering to the strict weight regulations in Formula 1.