Nico Hulkenberg has been disqualified from the Bahrain Grand Prix after his car failed a post-race technical check.
The FIA’s technical delegate Jo Bauer found the Sauber driver’s C45 did not comply with the rules governing plank wear. Measurements taken at three separate points did not reach the minimum required 9mm thickness.
All teams’ cars must be fitted with the specification planks to prevent them running too close to the ground, for safety reasons.
“The plank assembly of car 27 [Hulkenberg] was measured and found to be 8.4mm [left-hand-side], 8.5mm
(car centre line) and 8.4mm [right-hand-side],” the stewards explained. “This is below the minimum thickness of 9mm specified under Article 3.5.9 e) of the Technical Regulations.”
Sauber did not challenge the decision and accepted they had made a mistake. “During the hearing the team representative confirmed that the measurement is correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly,” the stewards noted. “The team also acknowledged that it was a genuine error by the team.
“The stewards determine that Article 3.5.9 e) of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty of a disqualification needs to be applied for such an infringement.”
Hulkenberg was originally classified 13th. His disqualification promotes Isack Hadjar and five others he finished behind him, but has no effect on the points awarded or championship standings.
He is the fourth different driver to be disqualified following a grand prix this year. Lewis Hamilton received the same penalty at the Chinese Grand Prix last month when the stewards also found excessive plank wear on his Ferrari. His team mate Charles Leclerc and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly were disqualified from the same race when their cars were found to be underweight.
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