George Russell has been disqualified from Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix in a shock turn of events after his sensational victory – with Lewis Hamilton consequently claiming the win.
In an initial post-race check, Russell’s Mercedes car was found to be 1.5 kg under the weight permitted in the regulations following the obligatory drainage of fuel.
The matter was referred to the FIA stewards, who confirmed that Russell has been disqualified from the race classification at Spa-Francorchamps.
Russell’s disqualification means team-mate Hamilton, who finished second, claims his 105th F1 win. Hamilton’s car was found to be over the permitted weight. Oscar Piastri is elevated to second, with Charles Leclerc up to third.
The FIA said in a statement: “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 there were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error by the team.”
British driver Russell opted for a bold one-stop strategy to earn a famous third win in F1 – but it may have been this tactic which resulted in the car’s fall in weight, reportedly due to unexpected tyre wear.
An initial report from FIA Technical Delegate Jo Bauer read: “After the race, car number 63 (Russell) was weighed and its weight was 798.0 kg, which is the minimum weight required by TR Article 4.1.
“After this, fuel was drained out of the car and 2.8 litres of fuel were removed. The car was not fully drained according to the draining procedure submitted by the team in their legality documents as TR Article 6.5.2 is fulfilled.
“The car was weighed again on the FIA inside and outside scales and the weight was 796.5 kg. The calibration of the outside and inside scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor.
“As this is 1.5 kg below the minimum weight requested in TR Article 4.1, which also has to be respected at all times during the competition, I am referring this matter to the stewards for their consideration.”
Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from last year’s US Grand Prix in similar circumstances, after both were found to have breached the rules governing the floor of their cars.
Sven-time F1 world champion Hamilton assumed the lead of the race on lap three of 44, but Russell, who started sixth, had other plans and he adopted a bold one-stop strategy to outfox his rivals.
Russell crossed the line a mere half a second ahead of Hamilton, but it is now rendered irrelevant after Russell was stripped of his win.
After the race, a jubilant Russell was lauded as “the tyre whisperer” by team principal Toto Wolff over the radio.
The Mercedes boss added after the stewards’ verdict: “We have to take it on the chin. A mistake has happened and a one-two would have been a great result going into the summer break.
“We have to learn from that. As a team there were positives but for George it is a massive blow for it to be taken away. He is going to win more.”
Max Verstappen started 11th following an engine penalty and after the post-race change finishes fourth, one place ahead of a disappointed Lando Norris, to extend his championship lead over the British driver heading into Formula One’s four-week summer shutdown.
George Russell disqualified after investigation
George Russell was stripped of his victory at the Belgian Grand Prix after his Mercedes car was found to be underweight after the chequered flag.
Teammate Lewis Hamilton was promoted to first place, securing his second victory of the season after his win at the British Grand Prix earlier this month.
Russell’s car was weighed after the race and found to be at the minimum weight (798 kilograms), but after fuel was drained from the Mercedes, it was found to be 1.5kg underweight.
The matter was referred to the stewards, who determined Russell’s car be disqualified.
“Car 63 was weighed on the FIA inside and outside scales with both scales showing the same result of 796.5kg,” a stewards’ statement said. “The calibration of both scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor.
“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 there were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error by the team.
“The stewards determine that Article 4.1 of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty for such an infringement needs to be applied.
“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.”
Russell won the race on a one-stop strategy, meaning he made a single set of tyres last 34 laps while others made an extra stop.
The physical wear of the four tyres can account for the car’s overall weight loss over a long stint, although teams usually factor that into their calculations before the race.
Another factor unique to the Belgian Grand Prix is that the length of the Spa-Francorchamps lap means drivers do not complete a cool-down lap after the chequered lap and instead turn into the pit lane exit immediately after Turn 1.
The absence of a cool-down lap means drivers cannot pick up discarded rubber on their tyres, which is standard procedure after a race to help replace any lost weight.
“Heartbreaking. … We left it all on the track today and I take pride in crossing the line first,” Russell said in a post on social media after the race. “There will be more to come.”
Speaking before the stewards’ decision, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said his team would have to accept a disqualification if it happens.
“You have to take it on the chin,” he said. “If the stewards decide against ourselves, it is what it is, a mistake has happened, or could have happened, and one-two would have been a great result going into the summer break. It wouldn’t go any better.
“The positive, the very positive we can take from this race is we had two cars that were the benchmark in this race, with two different strategies. Who would have said that a few months ago? That is really good to see.”
Asked if anything was damaged on Russell’s car, which might have contributed to it being underweight, Wolff added: “No, I think it’s a one-stop that … you expect loss of rubber, maybe more, but it’s no excuse.
“If … if the stewards deem it to be a breach of regulations, then it is what it is, and we have to learn from that, and as a team, given there are more positives to take, for George, but that’s a massive blow for a driver when his childhood dream is winning these races, then to be told it’s taken away. But he’s going to win many more.”
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