Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton promoted to victory after Russell's disqualification at Belgian Grand Prix
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
In a dramatic turn of events at the Belgian Grand Prix, George Russell was stripped of his victory after his Mercedes car was found to be underweight following the race. This development means teammate Lewis Hamilton has been promoted to first place, securing his second win of the season after his earlier triumph at the British Grand Prix.
After the race, Russell's car initially met the minimum weight requirement of 798 kilograms. However, subsequent checks, which included draining the fuel from his Mercedes, revealed the car to be 1.5 kilograms underweight.
"Car 63 was weighed on the FIA inside and outside scales with both scales showing the same result of 796.5kg,” the stewards stated. "The calibration of both scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor.”
"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 continued.
"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."
Russell opted for a one-stop strategy, making a single set of tyres last 34 laps while others took an additional stop. This physical wear of the tyres contributes to the overall weight loss of the car over long stints, a factor usually accounted for by teams before the race.
The unique length of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit also plays a role, as drivers don't complete a cool-down lap after the chequered flag but turn into the pit lane exit immediately after Turn 1. This prevents them from picking up discarded rubber on their tyres, a standard post-race procedure to help replace any lost weight.
Reactions from Russell and Mercedes
“Heartbreaking... We left it all on the track today and I take pride in crossing the line first,” Russell conveyed in a post on social media. “There will be more to come.”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff acknowledged the severity of the situation before the decision was made: “You have to take it on the chin,” Wolff 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.”
Wolff also highlighted the differing strategies employed by the two drivers: “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.”
When asked if any damage to Russell’s car could have contributed to it being underweight, Wolff dismissed the notion: “No, I think it's a one-stop that... you expect loss of rubber, maybe more, but it's no excuse.”
The disqualification is undeniably a significant blow for George Russell, who saw a childhood dream slip through his fingers. However, Mercedes and Russell can draw positives from their performance, despite the setback.
Hamilton's promotion to first place adds another chapter to his illustrious career, as the title race heads into the summer break with renewed vigor and fresh stories to unfold.
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