P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes suspects a loss of rubber from the long final stint was a factor in George Russell’s car being underweight and leading to his disqualification from the Belgian Grand Prix. Russell committe…
Mercedes suspects that the loss of rubber from the long final stint played a role in George Russell’s underweight car and subsequent disqualification from the Belgian Grand Prix. Despite committing to an unexpected one-stop strategy, Russell impressively held off Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri in a thrilling finish, with the top three drivers separated by just 1.1 seconds at the finish line. However, Russell’s disqualification came when his car was found to be 1.5kg below the minimum weight following the race, prompting trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin to suggest that tire weight loss was a contributing factor. Shovlin expressed disappointment over Russell’s disqualification, highlighting the need to thoroughly investigate and ensure such incidents are not repeated. The disqualification allowed Hamilton to claim his 105th victory, maintaining Mercedes’ success as a team, with Shovlin emphasizing the overall positive performance despite the setback. Looking ahead, Shovlin remains hopeful for a strong return in Zandvoort after the summer break, aiming to build on the team’s resilience and progress made at Spa-Francorchamps.
