FIA has been forced to disqualify a driver in Bahrain for excessive skid wear
Having ended the Bahrain Grand Prix in P13, Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg was disqualified from Sunday's 57-lap race in Sakhir for excessive plank wear.
Nico Hulkenberg has fallen foul of the FIA after the Bahrain Grand Prix. The German driver started from the lower end of the grid, and finished 13th in a race where Sauber struggled for race pace.
However, Hulkenberg's day ended with more disappointment after the FIA technical team checked the skid wear of his car.
The Jo Bauer-led technical team performed measurements along the stiffness compliant area at three different points of the periphery (inner arc). The inspection showed that the recorded measurement were 8.4 mm (LHS), 8.5 mm (car centerline) and 8.4 mm (RHS).
The Article 3.5.9 e) of the Technical Regulation requires a minimum thickness of 9 mm which meant that the stewards were forced to disqualify the German driver from the classification.
The FIA stewards noted: “The thickness of the plank assembly was below the permitted minimum thickness. The Stewards heard from the team representative of Car 27 (Nico Hulkenberg). 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. 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 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.
“Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.”
Hulkenberg’s teammate Gabriel Bortoleto was the last of the drivers to finish. His P19 is upgraded a place due to Hulkenberg’s disqualification.
