George Russell’s brilliant strategy at the 2024 Belgium Grand Prix initially led him to victory over teammate Lewis Hamilton. However, post-race procedures had a shocking twist.
After the race, Hamilton expressed his disappointment, feeling that he should have been given the same tire strategy as Russell. He believed that this could have secured him the win.
The FIA Technical Delegate Jo Bauer announced that Russell’s car was underweight after a double weighing procedure. Initially, the car met the minimum weight of 798kg. However, after fuel drainage, it weighed 765.5kg, 1.5kg below the legal limit.
As a result, Russell faced disqualification. The stewards were alerted, and Mercedes requested re-weighing, hoping for a different outcome. However, it appears the underweight issue was not resolved. The post-race weighing procedure raised suspicions about the car’s legality, considering the FIA usually extracts just one liter of fuel to check legality. By draining the entire fuel system, they discovered the discrepancy.
Meanwhile, the usual post-race celebrations were canceled. Mercedes had hoped to fit new tires before re-weighing, but this seemed to complicate matters further. Hamilton was promoted as the race winner, marking his record 105th win.
It’s suspected that Russell’s one-stop strategy, compared to the initial plan, might have caused more tire degradation and additional fuel consumption. This might have led to the underweight issue. Christian Horner even suggested that tire degradation could easily account for a significant weight loss.
Russell expressed his heartbreak on social media, stating, “Heartbreaking… We came in 1.5kg 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.”
This controversy brings up memories of last year’s USGP, where Hamilton and Leclerc faced disqualification for driving cars below the minimum ride height.
The final classification changes now mean that Max Verstappen’s winless streak extends to four races. Lewis Hamilton’s victory narrows the gap between Red Bull and McLaren in the standings, especially with Oscar Piastri now moving up to second place.
Russell’s disqualification has left fans and the team in shock, but the hunt for answers continues. Hamilton’s promotion to the top step of the podium adds another twist to an already dramatic F1 season.
