Sauber F1 Still Investigating Cause of Hulkenberg’s Bahrain GP Disqualification

The Sauber Formula 1 team is investigating the cause of Nico Hulkenberg’s Bahrain GP disqualification — his car’s skid plank measured 8.4mm, below the permitted 9mm minimum thickness.

A similar incident occurred earlier when Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari was disqualified in the China GP for the same issue.

Veteran Sauber team manager Beat Zehnder expressed confusion as all routine measurements were conducted during practice sessions.

“We do FP1, FP2, FP3, measure, have our references, and we really don’t know why we’re below 9mm,” said Zehnder.

Setup differences with teammate Gabriel Bortoleto — Hulkenberg running higher downforce — provide an early indication of the issue’s cause. While Bahrain’s bumpy circuit presents challenges for skid plank durability, the team refuses to make excuses.

Sauber has only managed to score points in the weather-affected Australian GP. Zehnder emphasizes the importance of qualifying and clean air for optimal performance — the team needs to find two to three tenths improvement for better starting positions.