Ferrari Chinese GP Disaster Exposed: Hamilton and Leclerc Hit with Brutal Penalties as FIA Misses New Evidence

SHANGHAI, March 24, 2025 – Ferrari’s rollercoaster weekend at the Chinese Grand Prix crashed into chaos on Sunday, as Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the main race, wiping away 18 crucial constructors’ championship points. Fresh from Hamilton’s Sprint Race triumph, hopes were high – only to be dashed when the FIA’s post-race inspection uncovered damaging breaches: Leclerc’s car was 1kg underweight and Hamilton’s rear wear exceeded the limits by 0.5mm. With McLaren hurtling towards a one-two finish, Ferrari’s fragility is laid bare: can the Maranello squad recover from this self-inflicted wound or is their 2025 season already teetering on the brink?

The disqualifications sting even more the promise of Saturday. Hamilton’s pole-to-win sprint performance had fans dreaming of a Ferrari revival, but Sunday’s Grand Prix exposed a glaring misstep. Leclerc, who finished P5 on a one-off strategy, saw excessive tyre wear push his SF-25 below the weight limit – a preventable mistake that echoes Mercedes’ 2023 spa excuse. Hamilton, crossing in P6, fell victim to an incorrect skid wear calculation, a “small margin” Ferrari admits it failed to. The team’s statement was frank: “There was no intention to gain an advantage, but we misjudged Charles’ tyre wear and Lewis’ skid wear. We will learn from this.” Yet with every team settling for a one-off race after George Russell’s mid-race pivot, Ferrari’s excuse rings hollow – why didn’t they field rescue points instead of risking everything?

Team boss Fred Vasseur tried to salvage the positives, pointing to Hamilton’s sprint dominance and Leclerc’s “mega” pace despite front wing damage. “Lewis’ pole and win, Charles’ speed: those are the highs we take,” he said. But the lows are undeniable. Hamilton lamented the car’s drastic shift since Saturday: “It was decent in the sprint, but the changes we made for the race killed the rear and the low-speed grip. I tried something different, but it failed.” Leclerc, meanwhile, hinted at strategy woes, revealing the ignored reasons for a mid-race Plan C shift. “I told them it would work, but they stuck to Plan A,” he said, exposing a disconnect that is costing Ferrari dearly.

The fallout is brutal. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri capitalized with a crushing one-two, while Ferrari’s zero-point haul leaves them scrambling. Japan’s Suzuka circuit, with its high-speed corners that suit the SF-25, offers hope, but only if Maranello quickly sort out their low-speed woes and rear downforce deficits. “The track suits us better in China,” Vasseur noted, but the clock is ticking. Losing 18 points early could haunt them in a season when they should be challenging for titles.

Amid the turmoil, Hamilton and Leclerc’s bond remains a silver lining. “Our relationship is really strong,” Leclerc said. “We respect each other’s results and we will continue to fight together.” That unity will be tested as Ferrari races to regroup. Fans are divided: some see a team ready to rebound, others a team opening up in familiar chaos. With McLaren untouchable and upgrades looming, Ferrari’s next move is a make-or-break. Can they channel Hamilton’s sprint magic into a Japanese revival, or will this disaster define their year? The golf world waits — and prays — for answers.