Russell at risk of punishment for technical infringement after Belgian GP

Belgian Grand Prix race winner, George Russell is at risk of punishment by the FIA as the car has been declared underweight by the technical delegate. 

Feature image credit: Mercedes F1

Breaking news coming in from Spa-Francorchamps that could lead to serious implications for the race-winner, George Russell as his car has been deemed underweight. 

After the race, Russell’s car was weighed in scrutineering and it was found to be on the money with the weight limit of 798kg which stands as the minimum weight required under the technical regulations. 

The fuel was drained out of the car, albeit not fully as per the draining procedure submitted by the team in their legality documents, and was weighed again on the FIA’s inside and outside scales. 

The weight of the car was found to be 796.5kg which stands 1.5kg under the weight limit set out in the technical regulations.

Jo Bauer, the FIA Technical Delegate, confirmed on the report that the calibration of the outside and inside scales was confirmed and witnessed by Mercedes. The matter has now been referred to the Stewards.

In the report, Bauer confirmed:

“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. 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. The calibration of the outside and inside scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor.

“As this is 1.5 kg below the minimum weight requested in TR Article 4.1, which also has to be respected at all times during the Competition, I am referring this matter to the Stewards for their consideration.”

If Russell’s car is declared guilty of breaching the technical regulations of the F1 world championship, it will likely end in a disqualification for the 26-year-old, promoting teammate Lewis Hamilton into the race win ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri to second. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will complete the top three.

More to follow…

Russell’s team representative has been summoned to the stewards at 18:10 local time for alleged breach of the technical regulations.

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Russell controls his way to Belgian GP F1 victory
• Tyre Strategies: two-stop remains preferrable for F1 Belgian GP
• Zhou given 3-place grid penalty for impeding Verstappen in Belgian GP qualifying
• Leclerc takes Belgian GP pole despite Verstappen quickest in qualifying
• Verstappen tops wet F1 Belgium GP final practice as Stroll crashes out
• Friday F1 Round-Up: Verstappen and Tsunoda hit with penalties as Famin leaves Alpine

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.