Mercedes’ George Russell Disqualified from Belgian Grand Prix

George Russell was disqualified from the Belgian Grand Prix after his Mercedes was found to be underweight following the race.

Russell initially crossed the finish line first, but after the car was weighed, it was discovered to be 1.5 kilograms below the required minimum weight of 798 kilograms.

The discrepancy occurred after fuel was drained from the car, which led to the disqualification decision by the stewards. As a result, Lewis Hamilton, Russell’s teammate, was promoted to first place, securing his second victory of the season.

The stewards’ statement confirmed that both the FIA’s inside and outside scales showed the same weight of 796.5 kilograms and that the team admitted to the error.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff acknowledged the mistake and accepted the possibility of disqualification, noting that the team had to take it “on the chin.”

Russell had used a one-stop strategy during the race, making his tyres last 34 laps while others made additional stops. The lack of a cool-down lap at Spa-Francorchamps, where the race ends immediately at the pit lane exit, contributed to the weight loss from discarded rubber.

Russell expressed his disappointment on social media, stating, “Heartbreaking… We left it all on the track today and I take pride in crossing the line first.” Wolff highlighted the positives of having two competitive cars and strategies, despite the setback.