Ferrari endured a nightmare at the Chinese Grand Prix at the 5.451-kilometre Shanghai International Circuit, walking away with almost nothing after both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were shockingly disqualified from the race.
Intriguingly, the duo breached entirely separate regulations—Hamilton failed to comply with the mandatory 9mm skid block minimum, while Leclerc’s car was found underweight. This marks Ferrari’s first double disqualification since the 2023 United States Grand Prix, where the Monegasque also fell foul of skid block regulations.
The revised results saw both Haas drivers climb into the top eight, while Carlos Sainz managed to collect his first points as a Williams driver after what had been a challenging weekend in Shanghai.
Despite Lewis Hamilton’s early influence at Ferrari—demonstrated by his strategic call to swap positions with his teammate during the race—the team ultimately paid the price for their regulatory breaches, losing 22 crucial points. This setback raises serious concerns for Hamilton, as Ferrari now appears slower than expected in 2024 and has already squandered valuable championship points.
Damon Hill Reacts to Ferrari’s Double Disqualification
Ferrari has never experienced both of its drivers being disqualified in the same race, making the situation even more extraordinary given the distinct infractions involved.
Technical regulations leave no room for ambiguity—teams are either compliant or in violation, and penalties are swift and decisive. 1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill reinforced this point with a blunt three-word response on social media: “Rules is rules.”
Meanwhile, Sky Sports analyst Karun Chandhok revealed that Charles Leclerc’s broken front wing—damaged in lap-one contact with his teammate—may have inadvertently aided his performance. Engineers believe this alteration could have influenced his pace, while Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli suspected that running over the carbon debris contributed to his own struggles by causing floor damage.
Ferrari Under Pressure Ahead of Japanese Grand Prix
Just two races into the season, Ferrari’s title aspirations have taken a dramatic hit. Instead of contending at the front, they now find themselves tied with Williams for fourth in the constructors’ standings.
With rivals McLaren and Mercedes proving to be stronger competitors than expected, the Italian side must rapidly unlock more performance if they hope to challenge Red Bull—who, even with just one driver consistently delivering results, have already amassed more than twice Ferrari’s points tally.
Hamilton, however, offered a glimpse of Ferrari’s potential by securing victory in the sprint race, momentarily silencing his critics. Without that win, the weekend would have been an outright disaster.
Now, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion must call on all his experience to rally the team and keep morale high after this crushing setback. The Japanese Grand Prix looms large, and Ferrari cannot afford another misstep.
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