Hulkenberg disqualified from Bahrain GP for skid wear infringement

Nico Hulkenberg has been disqualified from the 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. Hulkenberg had finished the Bahrain GP in 13th place.

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)."

With this being less than the 9mm minimum thickness required by TR Article 3.5.9 e, this issue was referred to the stewards and resulted in the German driver's disqualification.

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

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's exclusion sees Isack Hadjar take 13th place, with all drivers that finished below him also moved up one spot in the final classification.