Leclerc and Gasly lose Shanghai results after their F1 cars failed to meet the FIA’s strict minimum weight regulations post-race.
It’s now confirmed: Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly have both been disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix due to their cars being under the minimum weight limit.
The stewards wasted no time issuing the decision, as disqualifications over weight infractions are typically straightforward. In Leclerc’s case, his Ferrari SF-25 initially weighed in at 800 kg, and even reached 800.5 kg with an undamaged front wing. However, after removing the mandatory two liters of fuel (roughly 1.1 kg) required for post-race analysis, the car’s weight dropped to 799.4 kg — just below the legal threshold.
As a result, Leclerc loses his fifth-place finish and the 10 valuable championship points that came with it.
Pierre Gasly’s Alpine A525 faced a similar fate. Without the 1.1 kg of fuel, the car came in right at 799 kg — again, below the 800 kg minimum. Gasly, who finished 11th, wasn’t in the points, so while the disqualification stands, it doesn’t impact the leaderboard.
Adding to the drama, the FIA also confirmed the disqualification of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari SF-25. Although he finished sixth and had earned 8 points, post-race inspection showed his car’s floor planks measured just 8.6 mm and 8.5 mm in thickness — under the 9 mm required by regulation.
The updated classification of the Chinese F1 Grand Prix:
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Piastri | McLaren | 56 Laps – 1h30m55.026s |
| 02 | Norris | McLaren | +9.748 |
| 03 | Russell | Mercedes | +11.097 |
| 04 | Verstappen | Red Bull | +16.656 |
| 05 | Ocon | Haas | +49.969 |
| 06 | Antonelli | Mercedes | +53.748 |
| 07 | Albon | Williams | +56.321 |
| 08 | Bearman | Haas | +61.303 |
| 09 | Stroll | Aston Martin | +70.204 |
| 10 | Sainz | Williams | +76.387 |
| 11 | Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +78.875 |
| 12 | Lawson | Red Bull | +81.147 |
| 13 | Doohan | Alpine | +88.401 |
| 14 | Bortoleto | Stake | +1 Lap |
| 15 | Hülkenberg | Stake | +1 Lap |
| 16 | Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | +1 Lap |
| 17 | Alonso | Aston Martin | DNF |
| 18 | Leclerc | Ferrari | DSQ |
| 19 | Hamilton | Ferrari | DSQ |
| 20 | Gasly | Alpine | DSQ |
Fred Vasseur spoke as news of a disqualification for his drivers emerged.
Shanghai, China – Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur made it clear: there will be no finger-pointing after a tough Chinese Grand Prix that saw Lewis Hamilton finish sixth following a two-stop strategy that didn’t quite go to plan.
The team’s SF-25 had shown promising tire management during Saturday’s Sprint, where Hamilton impressively won on medium compounds. But Sunday painted a very different picture for the seven-time world champion.
“I’m not here to blame anyone,” Vasseur said when asked about the change in car setup between the two days. “We all need to do better. Everyone’s on the same tires, and managing them is always right on the edge. You could even see Max struggling at times—then bouncing back, then struggling again. If the tires aren’t in the right window, it’s just that much harder.”
Shanghai’s recently resurfaced track, paired with a softer C2 compound from Pirelli this season, made tire degradation a major challenge. Most teams leaned toward a two-stop race strategy, and Ferrari followed suit—Hamilton being the only frontrunner to do so.
“Graining was a real concern at one point,” Vasseur explained. “You never really know how the race will unfold. If everyone ends up stopping twice, it’s a logical move.”
The day was far from smooth for Ferrari overall. On one side of the garage, Charles Leclerc pushed through with a damaged front wing, still managing to show strong pace. But for Hamilton, replicating his Sprint success proved elusive.
“Lewis managed the tires brilliantly yesterday,” Vasseur said. “But today, we struggled to find the rhythm. Honestly, it’s difficult to understand.”
Despite the mixed outcome, Vasseur remains focused on the positives.
“Charles gave us good data to work with—even with a compromised front wing. Still, we finished 20 seconds behind McLaren and 10 behind Mercedes. That’s a gap we can’t ignore. We need to unlock the full potential of this car, and that’s where our focus goes next.”
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Ferrari and Alpine Disqualified Over Weight Breach
Ferrari and Alpine Disqualified Over Weight Breach
