Lewis Hamilton stripped of all-time F1 record after being disqualified at Chinese GP.
Lewis Hamilton briefly eclipsed another Michael Schumacher Formula 1 record at the Chinese Grand Prix but was stripped of it when he was later disqualified from the race.
Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification from the Chinese Grand Prix meant he was stripped of more than just a handful of World Championship points. The Brit also lost an all-time Formula 1 record that he set during the Shanghai race.
Hamilton won the sprint race on Saturday, marking his first victory as a Ferrari driver. But after setup changes in search of even better performance, he struggled with his car and finished just sixth in the main Grand Prix.
That was one place behind team-mate Charles Leclerc who was hampered by front wing damage sustained in minor contact with Hamilton on the opening lap. But both were later stripped of those results after their cars failed post-race checks.
The decision meant Hamilton lost the eight points he thought he had gained as a result of his sixth-placed finish. And it also meant he was no longer the recipient of the DHL Fastest Lap award, which he had earned by setting the best lap time of anyone over the course of the race.
The rule modifications for this season reduced the value of the bonus point just like it functioned in former years. The achievement of securing a Grand Prix’s fastest lap marked a significant milestone for Hamilton because it turned out to be his 16th consecutive season of setting this record in Formula 1 racing.
His 16th fastest lap of the Grand Prix added another after the record of 15 that Michael Schumacher and he previously held. Because of the disqualification Hamilton maintains his position as an ongoing record holder of fastest race laps with no prospective time to set a fastest race lap until 2025.
Many more suitable occasions will present themselves for him to accomplish this task. Between now and December there remain 22 Grand Prix races which Hamilton can leverage to regain his mark of fastest lap during a Grand Prix which currently stands at 16 over two seasons.
A post-race inspection in Shanghai revealed excessive wear on his car floor which indicated the vehicle rested too low than regulations allow. The racing regulations permit a floor plank wear of up to 1mm during the race duration and Hamilton’s floor wore down to 0.4mm below the limit during the race but still remained valid.
The exact breach of technical regulations results in disqualification for that session no matter how small the deviation from requirements proves to be. A race official disqualified Hamilton for the third time throughout his career following the race competition.
Hamilton received his first ban in 2009 after denying the stewardship about receiving car commands to allow racing drivers to pass. Since the US Grand Prix at 2023 in Shanghai he faced a disqualification for exceeding permitted plank wear. His second acceptable disqualification this year and his third throughout his career.
