sportbible homepage
sportbible homepage
  • Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • World Cup
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Manchester United
    • Liverpool
    • Arsenal
    • Real Madrid
    • Barcelona
  • Formula 1
    • Red Bull
    • Ferrari
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes
    • Max Verstappen
    • Lewis Hamilton
    • Lando Norris
    • George Russell
    • Charles Leclerc
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • More Sport
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • Darts
    • Athletics
    • Rugby
    • Wrestling
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Snapchat
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • LADbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Chinese Grand Prix had most disqualifications in F1 race in over 21 years

Home> F1

Published 15:59 12 Mar 2026 GMT

Chinese Grand Prix had most disqualifications in F1 race in over 21 years

F1 heads back to Shanghai this year.

Tom Jenkins

Tom Jenkins

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Last season's Chinese Grand Prix had the most disqualifications in an F1 race for over two decades.

This weekend F1 heads back to Shanghai for the third consecutive season following COVID restrictions between 2020-2023, with the first sprint of the season to take place on Saturday.

George Russell will be hoping to extend his championship lead over Kimi Antonelli following a Mercedes one-two in Melbourne, with Ferrari hoping to spoil the party.

The Scuderia led the early stages of the season opener through Charles Leclerc, but failed to convert the victory due to Mercedes pitting under the first virtual safety car.

Advert

Ferrari will be hoping to go one better in Shanghai, with Lewis Hamilton confirming the team will use the highly anticipated 'macarena wing' for the first time.

However, they will be cautious to avoid a repeat of last year, which saw both Ferrari's disqualified from the race for failing separate FIA post race tests.

Hamilton's rearward skid wear was 0.5mm below the limit, and Leclerc saw his car fail the minimum weight test by 1kg.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc during the Chinese Grand Prix (credit: getty)
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc during the Chinese Grand Prix (credit: getty)

“We must have been too aggressive, that’s how it is," Fred Vasseur said following the disqualification.

"This setback demonstrates that we are in pursuit of perfection and that, sometimes, we look too far."

The Ferrari duo weren't the only ones to suffer last time out, with Alpine's Pierre Gasly also being disqualified after also failing the FIA's minimum weight check.

Gasly's disqualification means you have to go back to 2004 to find a race with more disqualifications after four drivers were thrown out of the Canadian Grand Prix.

Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher, plus Toyota duo Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta's brake cooling ducts were all found in breach of the regulations..

It is usually the case that when both drivers from a team are disqualified it is for the same reason, making Ferrari's blunder in 2025 even more perplexing.

Featured Image Credit: Getty

Topics: Formula 1

Tom Jenkins
Tom Jenkins

Tom Jenkins is a Social Editor and Journalist for SPORTBible. Specialises in Football and F1 but has experience covering a variety of sports such as MMA, Boxing and Cricket. Suffers weekly as an Evertonian.

X

@tomjenkns

Recommended reads

Dennis Taylor interview: Why snooker legend is playing in brand-new event... and how he saved someone's lifeGettyRanking the top 10 best golfers of all time as Nicklaus v Woods GOAT debate settledGetty ImagesDavid Munyua and Peter Wachiuri interview: 'We wish for major PDC players to come and visit Kenya'Getty / Instagram/@wachiuridartsMark Selby lifts lid on backstage talks over Crucible as landmark agreement reachedGetty

Advert

Choose your content:

12 hours ago
a day ago
  • Getty
    12 hours ago

    Authorities launch investigation into all F1 drivers who may face criminal charges

    Authorities have launched an investigation.

    F1
  • Getty
    a day ago

    FIA confirm changes to 2026 F1 regulations as statement issued ahead of Miami GP

    Mohammed Ben Sulayem has addressed the matter, while the FIA have also made clear what will change.

    F1
  • Getty
    a day ago

    Six nations want to host F1 as Liberty prepare to break promise and add more races

    The F1 calendar could be getting a huge revamp.

    F1
  • Getty
    a day ago

    Futuristic F1 track with unique detail 'to replace' current circuit in next decade

    Construction is already underway, with a current circuit set to be replaced.

    F1
  • Driver says he's giving up on race seat in 'artificial' F1 after years of trying
  • FIA cancelled Chinese Grand Prix after being forced to scrap plans for race track
  • F1 bosses abandon meeting plan after witnessing what happened at Chinese Grand Prix
  • Cheapest F1 Race of 2026 Revealed as Cost of Attending Every Grand Prix Ranked