F1 Disqualifications Over the Years
Some things just go together. The Rat Pack has Sinatra, the Algonquin Round Table has Dorothy Parker, and Formula 1 has Ferrari. As the classic motorsport celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, so does the classic red racing team. The FIA chose to immortalize this milestone with a large kick-off event at the 02 Arena in London featuring drivers, principals, fans, and celebrities all gathered together to celebrate F1 racing. Ferrari chose a slightly different direction. For the first time in their team history, Ferrari earned a double disqualification after the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix last weekend. With the competition going full throttle, it's a surprise to absolutely no one that F1 has a history of breaking the rules. In honor of the sport’s legacy and recent events, let’s take a look backward and look at F1 disqualifications over the years.
Felice Bonetto, 1952 - German Grand Prix:
The first ever disqualification. Felice Bonetto drove for the Works Maserati team in the early days of Formula 1. Upon qualifying for 10th place in the Grand Prix, Bonetto spun out on the first lap, which had the effect of stalling the car on the track. In order to get moving again, the fans rushed the track and gave the driver a push start. For their enthusiasm and service, the FIA awarded Bonetto the black flag and he became the first driver in F1 history to receive a disqualification from a race.
Al Pease, 1969 - Canadian Grand Prix:
Al Peace qualified for the Grand Prix in P17, driving for John Marrion. By lap three, Peace was in last place. By lap 46, he had been lapped 24 times. Peace is the only F1 driver to ever be disqualified for driving too slow.
Alain Prost, 1985 - San Marino Grand Prix:
Alain Prost started the Grand Prix in seventh place but was able to keep a comfortable handle on second place for the majority of the race. After the car in front of him ran out of gas, Prost was able to make it to the finish line and secure the win. In the post-race weigh-in, however, it was discovered his car was two kilograms underweight retroactively losing him the race.
Toyota and Williams Teams, 2004 - Canadian Grand Prix:
That’s right, this is four total drivers disqualified from the same race. All drivers finished in the top ten slots, earning them points. However, after the race, it was discovered that every single car had exceeded the maximum allotted distance between the front brake ducts and the inside edge of the wheel rims.
The Entire Ferrari Team, 2025 - Chinese Grand Prix:
Both drivers from the Ferrari team were disqualified during the Chinese GP but for different reasons. Charles Leclerc for driving an underweight car and Lewis Hamilton for a below-minimum skidblock thickness. Ferrari made a statement after the race saying, “There was no intention to gain any advantage. We will learn from what happened today and make sure we don't make the same mistakes again”. Yet, this was the second instance of below-minimum skidblock thickness faced by Ferrari. The team was charged with the same infraction in 2023 by Charles Leclerc, as well as Lewis Hamilton racing for Red Bull in the same year.
Disqualifications can occur for a number of infractions from driving standards to inappropriate comments made on the comms. For the first two decades, push starts were a common cause for FIA disqualification. However, as technological advancements in cars took place, the regulations have become likewise more complicated. Still, simple math is helpful at all levels. 799 kilograms is less than 800 kilograms. We’ll see how long the learning from Ferrari’s painful lesson will last them. Just as it has from the beginning, Ferrari is once again adding to the 75-year history of Formula 1.
