George Russell was disqualified for having an underweight car after winning the Belgian Grand Prix, which led to his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton being declared the race winner. Russell’s victory was initially a surprise, as he executed an audacious one-stop strategy, resulting in a unexpected Mercedes one-two at Spa. However, approximately 90 minutes after the race concluded, the FIA announced that Russell’s car had come in underweight.
The W15 car weighed in at 796.5 kilograms, which was 1.5kg beneath the minimum weight required by the sport’s regulations. Although the car had initially weighed in at the 798kg limit, after the remaining fuel was drained in accordance with the rules, it fell below the required weight. The Formula 1 technical delegate, Jo Bauer, promptly referred the matter to the stewards, who subsequently confirmed Russell’s disqualification an hour after the infringement had been confirmed.
This decision gave Lewis Hamilton his second victory in three races leading into F1’s summer break. The seven-time world champion had previously won the British Grand Prix earlier in July, ending a 56-race winless streak. With Russell’s disqualification, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was promoted to second place, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc moved up to third, securing the final podium place. Notably, world championship leader Max Verstappen and his nearest challenger Lando Norris were promoted to fourth and fifth place, respectively.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, speaking before the stewards had made their official decision, suggested that Russell’s unplanned one-stop strategy had likely caused the issue. He explained that the fact Russell’s tires were more worn than those who had completed two stops meant that by the end of the race, they would have had less rubber on them, resulting in the car weighing less.
Belgian GP revised result: Top 10
1) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
3) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
4) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
5) Lando Norris, McLaren
6) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
7) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
8) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
9) Esteban Ocon, Alpine
10) Daniel Ricciardo, RB
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