George Russell has been disqualified from the Belgian Grand Prix for having an underweight car, resulting in victory being awarded to his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Russell initially seemed poised for his third grand prix victory after executing an impressive one-stop strategy that led to a surprising Mercedes one-two finish at Spa. However, approximately 90 minutes post-race, the FIA announced that Russell’s car weighed in at 796.5 kg, 1.5 kg below the minimum weight limit of 798 kg. Initially, the car had met the required weight, but once the remaining fuel was drained, it fell short. The matter was referred to the stewards, who confirmed Russell’s disqualification shortly after the weight infringement was noted.
This outcome gives Hamilton his second win in three races, following his victory at the British Grand Prix earlier in July, which ended a 56-race winless streak. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was elevated to second place, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took home third. With the penalties, world championship leader Max Verstappen and his closest rival Lando Norris were promoted to fourth and fifth, respectively.
Russell shared his disappointment on Instagram, stating, “Heartbreaking… We came in 1.5 kg underweight and have been disqualified from the race. We left it all on the track today and I take pride in crossing the line first. There will be more to come.”
Belgian GP Revised Result: Top 10
- Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- Lando Norris, McLaren
- Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
- Sergio Perez, Red Bull
- Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
- Esteban Ocon, Alpine
- Daniel Ricciardo, RB
The Stewards’ Ruling
The stewards heard from representatives of the Mercedes team, the FIA Technical Delegate, and the FIA Single Seater Director. They confirmed that Car 63 weighed 796.5 kg on calibrated scales during testing. The team acknowledged that the error was genuine, with no mitigating circumstances.
As per the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations, the stewards ruled that Article 4.1 had been breached, necessitating a standard penalty.
Wolff Suggests Strategy Caused Disqualification
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff hinted that Russell’s unplanned one-stop strategy might have led to the weight issue. He noted that Russell’s tires, being more worn than those from competitors who completed two stops, might have contributed to the lighter weight of the car at the end of the race. “I think it was the one-stop… you expect lots of rubber, maybe more, but it’s no excuse,” Wolff commented, admitting the situation would be a “massive blow” for Russell.
Following the disqualification news, Wolff confirmed that Mercedes would not appeal the decision and offered an apology to Russell: “We have to take our disqualification on the chin. We clearly made a mistake and need to ensure we learn from it. To lose a one-two is frustrating, and we can only apologize to George, who drove such a strong race.”
Despite the setback, Wolff expressed optimism about the team’s performance, stating, “Lewis is, of course, promoted to P1; he was the fastest guy on the two-stop and is a deserving winner. There are many positives we can take from this weekend. We head into the summer break having won three of the past four races and we’ll look to come back rejuvenated to maintain our positive trajectory.”
Credit: Sky Sports
