George Russell retains Canadian Grand Prix victory as Red Bull protest dismissed
MONTREAL — George Russell Triumphs Amid Failed Red Bull Protest
George Russell secured a triumphant Canadian Grand Prix win on Sunday after a dramatic Red Bull protest fell flat—a decision that left Max Verstappen and the Red Bull camp empty-handed in their pursuit of an overturned outcome.
The challenge from Red Bull centered on two alleged breaches of the rules by Russell under the safety car during the closing laps of a race that ended behind the guide vehicle. A successful protest would have stripped Russell of his first-place finish and potentially handed victory to Verstappen, who crossed the line in second place. However, after a lengthy deliberation lasting more than five hours, race stewards dismissed Red Bull's grievances as “not founded,” allowing the Mercedes driver to retain the top step of the podium.
Had the protest succeeded, Russell likely would’ve been handed a time penalty significant enough to drop him down the closely-packed order. Nevertheless, the stewards upheld the original result, much to Mercedes’ relief.
Red Bull's Protest: The Allegations
At the heart of Red Bull's argument were two incidents under the safety car:
- Russell allegedly braking sharply enough to momentarily allow Verstappen to overtake him, catching the Dutchman off-guard.
- Russell allegedly falling too far behind the safety car, violating the 10-car-length rule for the lead driver.
Red Bull also accused Russell of “unsportsmanlike intent,” believing the British driver may have been deliberately attempting to trigger a penalty for Verstappen.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, voiced his dissatisfaction following Verstappen and Russell’s session with the stewards. “I think you could hear from George's press comments yesterday," Horner said. "His objective was reasonably clear. I don’t think there was any surprise with that.”
Stewards' Ruling
The stewards ultimately rejected both of Red Bull’s claims. On the braking incident, they concluded Russell had legitimate reasons for his actions. “Russell braked where he did for two reasons. First, to ensure he kept a gap to the safety car. Secondly, to keep temperature in his brakes and tires,” the stewards explained in their ruling. They further noted that Russell had applied only 30 PSI of brake pressure, which was deemed to be “not severe” and insufficient to catch another driver deliberately off-guard.
Additionally, they agreed with Russell, who stated he wasn’t convinced the race would finish under the safety car and wanted to maintain optimal tire conditions in case of a restart.
On the second accusation regarding the 10-car-length rule, the stewards found no conclusive evidence of wrongdoing, explaining that such gaps can occur momentarily when a driver brakes while the safety car accelerates.
Their decision reinforced the race result, leaving the championship standings unaffected at the top.
Championship Implications
Russell’s victory had no major bearing on the championship leader, Oscar Piastri, who still holds a 22-point advantage. Piastri had been poised to gain three additional points if Russell had been penalized below him in the classification. Piastri's title rival and teammate, Lando Norris, was involved in late-race drama after a collision with Piastri three laps before the end, an incident that initiated the safety car period and set the table for Red Bull's protest gamble.
Post-Race Warnings and Observations
Meanwhile, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who celebrated his first career podium in Montreal, was one of several drivers handed post-race warnings for minor violations under the safety car, including Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Haas' Esteban Ocon, Aston Martin's Lance Stroll, and Alpine's Pierre Gasly. However, no penalties were applied in these cases.
The stewards’ rulings capped off a frustrating weekend for Red Bull after Yuki Tsunoda, Verstappen's teammate, received a 10-place grid penalty earlier in the weekend for overtaking Piastri during a practice session when the McLaren was limping back to the pits with a puncture. The perceived inconsistency in penalties is likely to remain a topic for discussion in the paddock.
Russell’s Win Highlights Intrigue in a Thrilling Season
As the paddock prepares to head to the next race, Russell's hard-fought win will go down as yet another thrilling chapter in a season full of intrigue both on and off the track.
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