George Russell’s sensational drive at the Belgian GP, praised by his boss Toto Wolff as “Tyre Whisperer” worthy, ended in disappointment as stewards disqualified him post-race. So, what went wrong?
The Post-Race Twist
After celebrating his one-stop strategy victory, a Technical Delegate’s report revealed an irregularity. While Russell’s car initially met the 798kg minimum weight, draining 2.8 litres of fuel showed it fell to 796.5kg, breaching the rule.
Understanding the Rules
TR Article 4.1 mandates a car’s mass, without fuel, must not be less than 798kg during competition. Article 6.5.2 requires cars to provide a 1.0-litre fuel sample at any time. Properly draining the fuel revealed the car was underweight, violating Article 4.1.
Admission of Error
Mercedes admitted their mistake. “We have to take our disqualification on the chin,” said Toto Wolff, vowing to learn from it.
Investigating the Cause
Mercedes suspects Russell’s one-stop strategy contributed. Loss of tyre rubber, estimated at around one kilogram, and the absence of a slow-down lap at Spa might have affected the weight.
Looking Forward
Mercedes is committed to understanding the issue and preventing future mistakes. “We don’t yet understand why the car was underweight following the race but will investigate thoroughly,” said trackside chief Andrew Shovlin.
Despite Russell’s stellar performance, a breach of weight regulations led to his disqualification, highlighting the precise demands of Formula 1.
