Rene Arnoux criticizes FIA’s controversial Chinese GP ruling, warns of F1 title implications. Rene Arnoux blasts the FIA for an overreaching decision at the Chinese Grand Prix.

Rene Arnoux Blasts FIA Over Chinese GP Disqualifications, Calls for More Flexibility in F1 Rules

Rene Arnoux has strongly criticized the FIA for what he believes was an excessive and overly rigid decision-making process at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. The controversy erupted after Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly were disqualified, overshadowing Oscar Piastri’s landmark victory.

Piastri secured his first pole position in Formula 1 at the Shanghai International Circuit and seamlessly converted it into a dominant race win. The McLaren driver held off Mercedes’ George Russell at the start and remained unchallenged for the rest of the Grand Prix. His teammate, Lando Norris, completed a McLaren one-two by fending off Russell’s late attack despite managing a brake issue. However, not all teams left Shanghai celebrating, as Ferrari and Alpine found themselves at the center of a post-race storm.

Arnoux Condemns FIA’s Decision to Disqualify Ferrari and Alpine
FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer explained that Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari and Gasly’s Alpine were found to be 1kg under the 800kg minimum weight limit after their fuel was drained. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari was disqualified due to excessive wear on the rearmost underbody skid block, which measured 8.5-8.6mm—below the mandatory 9mm threshold.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, former Ferrari driver Rene Arnoux didn’t hold back, arguing that the FIA’s approach was unnecessarily severe. He dismissed any suggestion that Ferrari had intentionally sought an unfair advantage, insisting that Leclerc and Hamilton’s disqualifications were a result of minimal, almost negligible infractions rather than deliberate rule-bending.

Rene Arnoux also called for greater flexibility in F1’s technical regulations, particularly when disqualifications occur over razor-thin margins. He pointed out that Leclerc’s SF-25 had met the 800kg weight requirement before the FIA extracted its fuel, raising questions about the strict application of the rule. According to the Frenchman, such rulings risk undermining the spirit of competition and could set a dangerous precedent for the championship.

The former Ferrari driver stated that he did not believe the Maranello team had attempted to cheat and completely dismissed any suggestion of intentional wrongdoing. He argued that if Charles Leclerc’s car had been significantly underweight by 10 kilograms or if Lewis Hamilton’s car had been in clear and blatant violation of the rules, then scrutiny would have been justified. However, in his view, the infractions in China were minor nuances rather than deliberate rule-breaking.

He acknowledged that regulations could not simply be ignored but emphasized the complexity of Formula 1’s technical rules. Given this complexity, he believed that minor breaches should result in a warning rather than an immediate disqualification.

Rene Arnoux further suggested that harsher penalties should only be applied in cases of repeat offenses. He maintained that Ferrari’s double disqualification at the Chinese Grand Prix was excessive, as such decisions could ultimately influence the outcome of the world championship.

Ferrari’s Costly Chinese GP Disqualifications Shake Up Constructors’ Standings
Before their disqualifications, Ferrari was on track to claim 18 crucial points in the Chinese Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing P5 and P6, respectively. However, their exclusion from the results handed unexpected gains to their rivals—Haas picked up an extra four points, Williams gained three, Mercedes secured two, and Aston Martin collected one. The most significant impact was Ferrari’s net 20-point loss to Mercedes, a setback that could prove critical in the 2025 Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship battle.

Having missed out on last year’s title by just 14 points to McLaren, Ferrari now finds itself ranked only fifth, highlighting how costly these lost points could be.

Ferrari’s Own Miscalculations Led to Costly Disqualifications
While Rene Arnoux has fiercely criticized the FIA’s strict enforcement of regulations, history suggests Ferrari’s frustration will do little to change the governing body’s stance. Similar disqualifications have occurred before, and this is not the first time Ferrari—or even Leclerc—has been on the receiving end.

In 2023, both Leclerc and Hamilton (then with Mercedes) were disqualified from the United States Grand Prix after post-race inspections revealed excessive wear on their skid blocks. More recently, Hamilton benefited from a similar scenario when his former teammate George Russell was disqualified from the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix for being 1.5kg underweight—an issue that arose after unexpectedly extending his stint in a race initially expected to be a two-stop strategy.

Ferrari, therefore, shoulders much of the responsibility for Leclerc and Hamilton’s disqualifications in China. Unlike some of their rivals, the team either neglected to incorporate enough margin for weight fluctuations or failed to account for the risks associated with pushing their stint lengths. Apart from Ferrari, Alpine was the only other team caught out, with Pierre Gasly also disqualified for being underweight.

Tyre Wear and Strategy Miscalculations Played a Role
Most teams, along with Pirelli, had anticipated the Chinese Grand Prix would be a two-stop race due to expected high tyre degradation. However, the newly resurfaced Shanghai International Circuit proved less abrasive than forecasted, allowing drivers to extend stints far beyond initial expectations. As a result, tyre wear patterns differed significantly from pre-race estimates.

A set of tyres can shed between 8-10kg over a 40-lap stint, compared to the 20 laps initially projected. This likely played a key role in Charles Leclerc’s disqualification in China, much like it did in Russell’s disqualification at Spa last year. However, the Italian side cannot blame external factors alone—unlike his weight discrepancy, Leclerc’s Lap 1 front wing damage had no bearing on his car’s post-race weight, as the team was able to replace it before official checks.

Ultimately, Ferrari’s failure to build in enough regulatory margin has proven costly, leaving them with an uphill battle in the championship fight.