Mercedes driver George Russell’s triumph at Spa turned into a nightmare hours later when he was disqualified.
- Russell’s bold one-stop strategy saw him beating Lewis Hamilton, only to lose due to a weight issue.
- The Spa circuit’s lack of a cooldown lap played a crucial part in the disqualification.
- Russell was praised for his strategic move, which unfortunately led to more tire wear than anticipated.
- Despite his disqualification, the Mercedes team remains optimistic about their future performances.
In a dramatic twist, George Russell’s celebration at the Belgian Grand Prix quickly soured as he faced disqualification. After outpacing Lewis Hamilton with an audacious one-stop strategy, Russell crossed the line first. However, post-race inspections revealed that his car was under the minimum weight limit by 1.5 kilograms, thus stripping him of his victory.
Russell’s choice to make only one pit stop was initially hailed as a masterstroke. The strategy allowed him to take an early lead, while most other drivers, including Hamilton, opted for two pit stops due to the high tire wear on the newly relaid Spa circuit. Unfortunately, this choice backfired when the worn tires contributed to failing post-race checks.
A significant factor contributing to Russell’s exclusion was the absence of a cooldown lap. Spa’s long circuit prompted cars to head directly to parc ferme, preventing drivers from collecting rubber debris, known as ‘pickup,’ which usually helps cars meet the required weight limit during scrutineering. Without this additional weight, Russell’s car was found lacking, sealing his disqualification.
The Mercedes camp had to accept this setback, with team boss Toto Wolff acknowledging the oversight. “We have to take our disqualification on the chin,” Wolff admitted, emphasizing the importance of learning from this error. He remained upbeat, pointing out that despite the setback, the team’s performance has been strong, with three wins in the last four races.
It’s been a bittersweet experience for Russell, who expressed his disappointment on social media. Calling it ‘heartbreaking,’ Russell took solace in his performance, remaining optimistic about opportunities to come. The Mercedes team’s ability to bounce back from this incident will be crucial as they progress in the season.
Despite this setback, Mercedes is focused on future successes, learning from each race.
