After race authorities found that the Mercedes entry was underweight, George Russell’s victory in the Belgian Grand Prix was revoked on Sunday. Lewis Hamilton, his teammate who came in second, was declared the winner. Russell’s No. 63 was judged to weigh 798.0 kilos, the minimum weight needed, and the race result was forwarded to stewards for reconsideration. After officials had drained the fuel tank, the car weighed 3.3 pounds, or 796.5 kilograms, less than what was required. As per a Formula One document, Russell’s representatives admitted during a stewards’ hearing that “it was a genuine error by the team and that there were no mitigating circumstances.” The race outcome was then reversed by the stewards.
Mercedes principal Toto Wolff stated, “It is what it is, the mistake has happened,” before to the stewards’ judgment being made. We must use that as a lesson, he continued. There are more benefits to be gained as a team. It’s obvious that George is devastated. The race was a memorable one as it was being run. With only 1.1 seconds separating the three, Russell edged out Hamilton and Oscar Piastri of McLaren. Russell and his crew chose to go with a risk at the Spa-Francorchamps track, pitting on the tenth of 44 laps, while the other drivers stopped twice. Russell, a fellow Brit, finished a half-second ahead of Hamilton thanks to his aged tires holding up.
After closing to within a second behind Russell on the last four laps, Hamilton made an attempt to catch up to his teammate but was unable to pass him. Hamilton’s victory today brings his season total to two, having won the British Grand Prix on July 7. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who took first place in the pole position, finished third, moving Piastri up to second place. Max Verstappen, the leader in championship points, came in fourth. The Red Bull driver received an engine penalty and began eleventh.
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