Why was George Russell stripped off from Belgian GP Victory? - Know The F1 Rule

In a dramatic turn of events, George Russell was stripped of his Belgian Grand Prix victory despite delivering a stellar performance. It earned him the nickname “Tyre Whisperer” from his boss, Toto Wolff. The race stewards found an irregularity with Russell's car after the race, leading to his disqualification.

Here’s what happened and the rule that led to this decision:

The Incident Post-Race

After the race, Russell and his team were in high spirits, celebrating what seemed like a remarkable one-stop strategy win. However, their joy was short-lived. A Technical Delegate’s report indicated that Russell's Mercedes did not comply with the regulations.

Initially, the car met the minimum weight requirement of 798kg, but when 2.8 litres of fuel was drained, the car weighed 796.5kg, falling below the mandated minimum weight. The breach related to the Technical Regulations (TR) Article 4.1.

This article mandates that the mass of a Formula 1 car, without fuel, must not be less than 798kg at all times during the competition. This rule ensures that all cars maintain a fair competition standard and prevents teams from gaining an undue advantage through weight reduction.

What did Mercedes say about the incident?

Mercedes acknowledged their error, with Team Principal Toto Wolff accepting the disqualification. He emphasized the need for the team to understand and learn from this mistake, acknowledging the frustration of losing a 1-2 finish. Wolff expressed particular regret for Russell, who had driven an exceptional race.

Meanwhile, Mercedes' trackside chief Andrew Shovlin suggested that Russell’s one-stop strategy might have contributed to the car's underweight condition. Unlike other frontrunners who opted for two stops, Russell’s single-stop approach possibly led to significant tyre wear and a corresponding weight loss that the team had not adequately accounted for. The loss of rubber from a one-stop strategy could result in up to one kilogram of weight reduction, which, combined with other factors, led to non-compliance.

What’s ahead for George Russell and Mercedes

While the disqualification was a significant blow, Mercedes is committed to investigating the exact cause of the underweight issue. They aim to prevent such occurrences in the future, ensuring strict adherence to the regulations. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton, who was second in the race, was promoted to first place, marking a bittersweet victory for Mercedes.