Formula 1 - Russell searches for "the heart": Mercedes
George Russell was disappointedly disqualified from the Formula-1 race in Belgium after being stripped of his surprise victory. "It breaks my heart to have been disqualified from today's Grand Prix. It was an incredible Grand Prix", said the Englishman, who felt like a three-time Grand-Prix winner for at least two hours after his brave one-stop strategy.
However, he was disqualified due to his car being underweight, with teammate Lewis Hamilton taking the victory instead. After refueling at the weigh bridge, the Arrow with the number 63 of Russell weighed in just 1.5 kilograms less than required. The minimum weight of a Formula-1 car is 798 kilograms, but Russell's car only weighed 796.5 kilograms.
"We will review the events and understand what went wrong. Losing a double win is frustrating, and we can only apologize to George, who drove such a strong race", said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff after the last Grand Prix before the summer break.
Was it due to tire wear?
How could that have happened? Mercedes is still investigating. "We still don't understand why the car was underweight after the race, but we will thoroughly investigate to find an explanation. We assume that tire wear played a role in only one stop, and we will work to understand how that happened. But we will not make excuses", explained Chief Engineer Andrew Shovlin.
The competition had bet on two stops and had caught up to Russell in the final phase of the race. "That was incredible from Russell", Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko also praised the 26-year-old tire whisperer.
"I'm sorry for George"
Mercedes admitted to the stewards that "it was an honest error from the team", as the motor sports world federation FIA announced. Any possible appeal against the verdict is therefore off the table.
Russell's disqualification mainly benefited Hamilton, who had driven a dominant race at the front without Russell's supposed coup. "I'm sorry for George, and no one wants to win a race through a disqualification. But we were in the fight for wins in the last races", said the record world champion and looked forward to a little vacation.
- Despite George Russell's disqualification, Mercedes-Benz celebrated a victory in the Formula-1 race held in Belgium, with Lewis Hamilton taking the checkered flag.
- The incident marked the second time this season that a Mercedes driver was disqualified due to weight issues, highlighting the scrutiny and precision required in Formula-1 motorsport.
- The Mercedes team, known for its Silver Arrow heritage, was left grappling with the consequences of the underweight issue, as they extended their lead in the Constructor's Championship with Hamilton's victory.
- George Russell's impressive one-stop strategy had him leading the race for two hours before the disqualification, earning him recognition as a formidable force in the world of Formula-1 and auto racing.
- Belgian fans, who had cheered on Russell as a hometown favorite, were disappointed with the outcome, as they witnessed the impact of minor technical issues, such as tire wear, on a championship-winning team's performance.
- The Mercedes team, led by Toto Wolff and Chief Engineer Andrew Shovlin, has committed to thoroughly investigating the incident to ensure such an error will not happen again in the future, upholding the prestige and tradition of the legendary Mercedes-Benz brand.
- Lewis Hamilton stands poised to continue his championship chase with his victory in Belgium, as he looks to extend his record-breaking Formula-1 career, emphasizing the importance of Hamilton's performance in the Silver Arrow and the continuous development of Mercedes' Formula-1 car in the 2023 season.
