Bahrain GP: Nico Hulkenberg disqualified over plank wear breach

Dominika Jordan
Apr 13, 2025, 04:22 PM ET

Hulkenberg disqualified from Bahrain GP for plank wear breach, FIA moves cars up one spot.

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg has been disqualified from the Bahrain Grand Prix results due to excessive plank wear on his car. Hulkenberg finished the race in 13th place, but the disqualification moves all trailing cars up one position.

Following the race, the FIA found that the wear on Hulkenberg's car plank—a wood-resin strip located under the car—exceeded the permitted limits. This regulation is in place to prevent teams from running cars too low to enhance aerodynamic performance.

"The Stewards heard from the team representative of Car 27 (Nico Hulkenberg)," stated the stewards. "The plank assembly of Car 27 was measured and found to be 8.4mm (LHS), 8.5mm (car centerline), and 8.4mm (RHS). This is below the minimum thickness of 9mm specified under Article 3.5.9 e) of the Technical Regulations."

The team acknowledged the error: "During the hearing, the team representative confirmed that the measurement is correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly. The team also acknowledged that it was a genuine error."

This issue is not new to Formula 1; Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari was disqualified for a similar breach at the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this year. The latest generation of F1 cars remains particularly sensitive to plank wear regulations.

The regulation breach and subsequent disqualification underline the critical importance of adhering to the technical regulations, as even minor deviations can lead to significant penalties.