George Russell’s Canadian Grand Prix win under scrutiny as Red Bull protests
Red Bull Protests George Russell's Canadian GP Victory
MONTREAL — George Russell’s victory at the Canadian Grand Prix has been thrown into question as Red Bull lodged an official protest over the British driver’s actions under the safety car. The incident, which unfolded during the final laps of the race, has left the Formula 1 community eagerly awaiting a stewards' decision.
Russell claimed the checkered flag, crossing the finish line in front of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at a crawl as the race concluded under the safety car. With four laps remaining, a dramatic collision between Lando Norris and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri brought out the safety car, bunching up the pack and setting the stage for contentious radio exchanges between Russell, Verstappen, and their respective teams.
The Grounds for Red Bull’s Protest
Although the stewards' summons did not specify the grounds of the protest, Verstappen’s frustrations were clearly broadcasted during the race. The reigning world champion accused Russell over team radio of “braking erratically” while following the safety car. Conversely, Russell claimed Verstappen had attempted to overtake him under the safety car—a severe breach of the rules.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, later confirmed to the media that the team had submitted two separate appeals. The first alleged that Russell failed to adhere to the FIA regulation requiring drivers to maintain no more than 10 car lengths' distance behind the safety car. The second protest centered on Russell allegedly braking suddenly on the back straight, an act Horner described as “driving erratically.”
“It’s certainly not personal to George,” Horner told reporters when asked if emotions surrounding the fierce rivalry between Russell and Verstappen played a role. “The way the regulations are written, they’re pretty binary, pretty clear. If you remember Checo [Sergio Pérez] in Singapore 2022, he got two penalties for it. So there’s a very clear precedent.”
Potential Gamesmanship at Play
Horner also suggested there could have been gamesmanship at play. Verstappen entered the Canadian Grand Prix carrying 11 super license penalty points, just one point shy of an automatic one-race ban—a narrative that had dominated conversation throughout the week. According to Horner, it’s possible Russell’s actions were a calculated effort to provoke Verstappen into a costly mistake.
“I think you could hear from George’s press comments yesterday,” Horner said. “You know, his objective was reasonably clear. I don’t think there were any surprises with that.”
Impact of a Potential Penalty
With the entire field bunched together under the safety car, any time penalty levied against Russell could retroactively strip him of his victory. Such a decision would push him down the order and potentially hand the win to Verstappen, solidifying Red Bull’s dominance this season.
The stewards face the daunting task of determining Russell’s intent and whether his behavior warrants penalties. Unlike other scenarios, no set timeline exists for a verdict, meaning the race result will hang in limbo until an official ruling is reached.
Rivalry Reignites
As the Formula 1 circus turns to its next race, the fallout from the Canadian Grand Prix is certain to dominate discussions. Regardless of the final decision, the incident has reignited the fierce rivalry between Red Bull and Mercedes—a rivalry that continues to shape the modern era of Formula 1.
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