Nico Hulkenberg is facing disqualification from the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix after his rear skid was measured as being below the minimum thickness. This was the same issue that led to Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification from the Chinese Grand Prix.
According to a technical report issued just moments after the race: “Measurements were taken along the stiffness compliant area at three different points of the periphery (inner arc). The recorded measurement were 8.4 mm (LHS), 8.5 mm (car centerline) and 8.4 mm (RHS).”
Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
With this being less than the 9 mm minimum thickness required by TR Article 3.5.9 e, this issue was referred to the stewards and will likely result in the German driver’s disqualification.
This comes after a difficult qualifying from the Sauber driver, with him getting a lap deleted after he exceeded track limits. A late decision from the FIA saw the driver push through to Q2 where he qualified 13th, but he was eventually demoted to 16th.
“The lap time of 1:31.998 of Car 27 recorded in Q1 is deleted. All lap times of Car 27 in Q2 are deleted. Car 27 will therefore be classified in position 16 in Qualifying,” the resulting document from the FIA read.
Hulkenberg finished 13th in today’s race, but will likely be disqualified, promoting Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar.
A follow-up document adds: “The driver and team representative are required to report to the Stewards at 21:45.”
