"There is performance for running low, otherwise you wouldn't run there. Own it": Former Red Bull man calls out Ferrari for Lewis Hamilton DSQ
The Ferrari pair of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix for breaching different sections of the FIA regulations. While the team admitted that they misjudged the plank wear on the Briton's car, former Red Bull engineer Blake Hinsley asserted that the prancing horses should have been more accountable for their 'intentional' mistake.
F1 drivers being disqualified from races due to excessive plank wear has been a rare phenomenon. Before the 2023 season, Michael Schumacher was the sole violator of this rule.
However, this changed at the 2023 United States Grand Prix, which was a sprint weekend, and the duo of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc was disqualified in post-race inspections due to excessive plank wear.
On the other hand, almost two years later, the pair was disqualified again from a sprint race weekend, this time in China. Their disqualifications were for two different reasons: the Monegasque's car was found to be underweight, and Hamilton was struck again with the misfortune of his car having excessive plank wear.
After the scarlet duo was disqualified, Ferrari released a team statement in which they claimed that they made a misjudgment on the seven-time champion's car. However, this explanation was disregarded by ex-Red Bull mechanic Hinsley, who deemed the statement to be a mere excuse and urged the team to own up to their real intentions of finding more performance in the car:
"This is always the biggest cop out excuse. The one stop is always an option. It was an improper calculation of risk versus reward.
"Same for Hamilton in Austin the other year on skid wear. There is performance for running low, otherwise you wouldn't run there. Own it."
The Chinese Grand Prix was a mediocre weekend for the Maranello-based squad, even before it was struck with two disqualifications.
Lewis Hamilton was unhappy with Ferrari SF-25's pace even before disqualification
Despite winning the Sprint race earlier in the weekend, Hamilton's comfortability with the SF-25 had gone south. He started ahead of his teammate when the five lights went out but was overtaken during the middle phase of the race.
Lewis Hamilton revealed that the balance with his car was terrible after the Sprint race, and said, via Formula 1:
"Balance-wise, from the sprint race we made these changes and the car was terrible after that. So I really struggled from then on. I think it’s good learnings and hopefully won’t do that again as I continue to learn this car."
The next F1 race is scheduled to take place at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan. Lewis Hamilton has won four races around the fabled circuit and five in the Asian nation.