George Russell faces DISQUALIFICATION after winning Belgian Grand Prix as stewards launch investigation into car
GEORGE RUSSELL could be stripped of his Belgian GP win after his Mercedes car was reportedly found to be underweight at Spa.
The incident matter has been referred to the stewards, with a likely disqualification pending.
GettyBelgian GP winner George Russell’s car has allegedly been found to be underweight[/caption]
RexThis could mean disqualification from the race and victory snatched from the Brit[/caption]
If Russell is eventually disqualified, team-mate Lewis Hamilton will be crowned the race winner, to claim his second GP win of the season.
Hamilton – whose two pits caused him to drop in behind Russell – formed an impressive Mercedes one-two after the team ditched their updates on Friday.
Russell’s car has been referred to the stewards after it was found to be 1.5kg underweight in the usual post-race checks, once the fuel was removed.
Russell’s car was initially weighed at 798kg, which is exactly on the minimum weight limit for car and driver combined.
But stewards found the car had not been fully drained of fuel and when it was, its weight was just 796.5kg.
Infringements of technical rules result in slam-dunk disqualifications whatever any mitigating circumstances are.
A Technical Delegate’s report read: “After the race, car number 63 was weighed and its weight was 798.0 kg, which is the minimum weight required by TR Article 4.1.
“After this, fuel was drained out of the car and 2.8 litres of fuel were removed.
AlamyMercedes team principal Toto Wolff awaits the stewards verdict[/caption]
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“The car was not fully drained according to the draining procedure submitted by the team in their legality documents as TR Article 6.5.2 is fulfilled.
“The car was weighed again on the FIA inside and outside scales and the weight was 796.5 kg.”
Russell managed to hold off the seven-time world champion on 24 laps on ONE SET of hard tyres to claim his second title of the season.
He put in an extraordinary drive to run an unusual one-stop strategy in a race that featured battles throughout the leading places.
The 26-year-old started three places behind Hamilton in P6.
Oscar Piastri came a close third for McLaren after a late overtake on Charles Leclerc.
