Lewis Hamilton's F1 record breaks in the Chinese GP disqualification

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton was dealt a stunning blow at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix when he was disqualified from the race, losing an all-time record. The British racing legend, who had originally finished sixth at the Shanghai International Circuit, was stripped of the final classification after his Ferrari SF-25 failed standard post-race technical checks.Hamilton's skidblock fell 0.4-0.5mm short of the required minimum, keeping him out of the results. Hamilton was disqualified from his F1 career for the third time, with the first two instances occurring at the 2009 Australian Grand Prix and the 2023 United States Grand Prix. Notably, his 2009 Melbourne disqualification was because of misleading actions against the stewards, and in 2023, excessive wear on his Mercedes W14's skid-block as well.Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was disqualified too, as his car was less than the 800 kg legal minimum weight. This was the first time in Scuderia Ferrari's glorious history since its formation in 1950 that both of its cars had been disqualified from a Grand Prix.Hamilton's misfortune also cost him an extraordinary milestone. He had already posted the race's fastest lap with a scorching 1:35.069, beating Lando Norris by 0.385 seconds. This feat would have had Hamilton in the record books as the first driver to achieve 16 consecutive seasons with the fastest lap in the history of Formula 1, breaking the record of 15 seasons held by the great Michael Schumacher. Rather, the disqualification deleted his fastest lap and broke up his record-setting stint, one that dated back to the Chinese Grand Prix of 2010.Hamilton was not alone in being caught off guard by tight technical rules at the Chinese GP. Alpine's Pierre Gasly was also excluded for an underweight car, and this was the first race since the 2004 Canadian Grand Prix to feature at least three exclusions. In the infamous race of that year, both the Toyota and Williams teams were excluded for illegal brake ducts. The previous time there were precisely three exclusions was when Stefan Johansson, Nigel Mansell, and Alessandro Nannini were all black-flagged at the 1989 Canadian Grand Prix.Also read: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc's disqualifications: What went wrong at Chinese GP and the consequences Undeterred by the blow, Hamilton continues to be a contender for the championship title. With 67 fastest laps under his belt across his career—10 fewer than Schumacher's 77—the seasoned driver still has a chance to pursue history. As the F1 season continues, all eyes will be on Hamilton to observe if he can close in and write yet another memorable chapter in his career.