F1 2025: Ferrari demoted after FIA disqualifications at Chinese Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc — Photo: © IMAGO

Ferrari

Ferrari demoted after FIA disqualifications at Chinese Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the Chinese GP

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 24 March 2025 17:57

Ferrari faced another F1 demotion on Sunday at the Chinese Grand Prix, following the disqualification of both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc for differing reasons.

Both the drivers' and constructors' championship standings saw huge changes after the main race on Sunday, with the two Ferrari drivers' disqualifications promoting a number of other drivers up the order and into the points.

Alpine's Pierre Gasly was also disqualified from the race after his car was found to be underweight by the FIA, promoting Williams' Carlos Sainz into the points to claim his first world championship point with his new team.

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Sainz's extra point also demoted Ferrari down to fifth in the constructors' standings behind Williams - who have had an excellent start to the season.

After Hamilton's brilliant sprint race victory in China, Ferrari had moved up to fourth in the constructors' standings, sitting just behind Red Bull in third. However, Sunday's disqualification of Hamilton for excessive skid block wear, and Leclerc for his car being underweight, has seen them tumble down the order once again.

Meanwhile, McLaren extended their lead at the top of the constructors' championship with a brilliant one-two in the main race. Oscar Piastri's win has put him up to fourth in the drivers' championship, just 10 points behind championship leader Lando Norris.

Haas benefitted significantly from the three disqualifications, with Esteban Ocon securing a fifth-place finish and rookie Ollie Bearman claiming eighth, seeing Haas rise all the way up to sixth in the constructors' championship.

F1 drivers' standings after the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix

F1 constructors' standings after 2025 Chinese Grand Prix

2025 rule change removes fastest lap point

Fastest lap points have been banished for 2025. Since 2019, drivers have picked up an extra point if they finish in the top 10 and achieve the fastest lap.

However, it did lead to some drivers abandoning their races to pit and fit a set of new tyres at the end in order to claim the fastest lap point, or to stop a rival from getting the extra point.

The most famous example of this in 2024 came during Ricciardo's final F1 race, when the Australian finished last but claimed the fastest lap on the final lap of the Singapore GP, taking the extra point away from Norris and helping Verstappen's title bid.

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