A dramatic turn of events has seen George Russell stripped of his Belgian Grand Prix victory after his Mercedes car was found to be underweight. The disqualification promotes teammate Lewis Hamilton to the top of the podium.
Russell had delivered a masterful performance, holding off Hamilton to claim a surprise win. However, post-race checks revealed that his car was 1.5kg below the minimum weight limit stipulated in the Formula 1 regulations.
A Technical Delegate’s Report detailed the weight discrepancy, stating that the car had not been fully drained according to the specified procedure. Despite Mercedes acknowledging the error and confirming the accuracy of the measurements, the stewards imposed a mandatory disqualification.
The decision elevates Hamilton to his 105th career victory, with Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc moving up to second and third respectively.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff expressed disappointment but accepted the penalty. “It’s a massive blow for George, but we have to take responsibility for the mistake,” he said.
The incident marks a significant setback for Russell, who had shown exceptional pace throughout the weekend.
