Mercedes had an interesting decision to make during the Belgian Grand Prix. With George Russell leading and Lewis Hamilton closing in fast, team orders were a consideration. Oscar Piastri’s rapid advance added pressure. Ultimately, Mercedes allowed their drivers to race freely. A twist came when Russell was disqualified after the race.
The Belgian Grand Prix saw a late-race showdown within Mercedes as George Russell, on a one-stop strategy, took the lead from teammate Lewis Hamilton, who had fresher tires after two stops.
Mercedes’ pit wall allowed the teammates to race each other with the instruction to “give each other plenty of space.” Despite Hamilton’s fresher tires and increased pace, he couldn’t mount an effective challenge against Russell, who maintained composure to finish half a second ahead.
Adding to the drama, Oscar Piastri closed in on the Mercedes duo, reducing a five-second gap to enter DRS range of Hamilton in the final lap. The leading trio crossed the finish line separated by just 1.173 seconds.
Team principal Toto Wolff revealed that if there had been one more lap, Mercedes might have swapped Russell and Hamilton to secure the win and have both drivers on the podium. Wolff admitted, “Probably if we had one more lap that could have been a consideration because it would have protected P1 and George would have finished P3.”
However, any potential victory celebration was cut short when Russell’s car was disqualified for being 1.5kg underweight, costing Mercedes a 1-2 finish. Despite this, Mercedes scored their third win in four races, extending their podium streak to six races.
Wolff emphasized the need for caution and realism about the rest of the season, noting the positive trends for Mercedes and mixed performance from other teams. “I think we need to remain both feet on the ground,” he said. Mercedes continues to fight in the Constructors’ Championship, closing the gap with Ferrari to 79 points.
The Belgian GP highlighted the complexities of team orders and the unpredictable nature of racing.
