Lewis Hamilton's triumphant Ferrari pole-to-win in the Shanghai sprint was overshadowed by a dramatic collapse just 24 hours later.
Charles Leclerc and Hamilton crossed the line in fifth and sixth in the grand prix—despite an early tangle between the pair and a contentious moment when the seven-time world champion was instructed to yield position.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur vented frustration at Formula One Management over the latter incident. "It's a joke from FOM because the idea came from Lewis' side," he said.
"Lewis suggested that we swap. To create confusion and make a show, they (F1) only aired the second part of the story.
"I will talk to them about it, and I understand your question, but please ask Stefano (Domenicali) because I am not responsible for the broadcast," the irate Frenchman continued.
Vasseur's comments came before FIA officials discovered that both Ferrari cars failed post-race checks, each for separate infractions.
Leclerc's machine was deemed underweight, with Ferrari attributing it to severe tyre degradation. Rumours also swirled that part of his front wing was lost in the Hamilton incident, adding to the loss of weight.
"It's not like that would add up to two kilos," former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher remarked to Sky Deutschland. "They need to factor that in just to be safe—at least 1.5 kilos.
"So, from that perspective, it's just incompetence," the German asserted.
Hamilton's disqualification stemmed from excessive wear on his plank, beyond the permitted limit. "We misjudged the consumption by a small margin," Ferrari stated. "There was no intention to gain any advantage."
Schumacher, however, rejected the explanation. "After the sprint, you can assume that the engineer should know what he's doing," he said.
"Saturday was so good for them, then on Sunday they were slow, and then they were disqualified. Of course it's not possible to win world championships like this."
The Italian press, known for its harsh scrutiny, is already sounding the alarm. "My feeling is that the SF-25 is the product of a project that is too complicated," veteran reporter Leo Turrini told Sky Italia.
"A reaction is needed immediately—in Japan."
