Belgian GP: George Russell suffers dramatic disqualification with Lewis Hamilton declared winner

Mercedes driver George Russell pictured on the grid

George Russell gambled on a one-stop strategy to hold off Lewis Hamilton to win the Belgian Grand Prix – that was until he was disqualified 

Told they could race but to “give each other plenty of space”, the Mercedes team-mates run wing-to-wing throughout the final five laps but Russell kept his head to clinch what he thought was his third F1 Grand Prix win ahead of Hamilton and Oscar Piastri. But, the FIA stewards ruled differently.

George Russell ‘wins’ the Belgian GP in Mercedes 1-2 before DSQ

Charles Leclerc made a flying start as Perez cut sharply across the track to cover Hamilton but still lost P2 to the Mercedes driver. George Russell found himself in the middle of a McLaren sandwich between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris with yet another poor start for Norris dropping him P4 to P6, and then seventh with Carlos Sainz also getting the jump on him.

Norris fought back on lap 2 but ran wide at the chicane and gave the position back. That opened him to an attack from Max Verstappen who was up from 11th to eight as he overtook Fernando Alonso.

Using DRS to stick to Leclerc’s rear wing, Hamilton took the lead on lap 3 into Les Combes. Dropping Perez from their tussle, the Mexican driver asked Red Bull about his battery. Zhou Guanyu dropped to 20th as he crawled around the track before a reset had him on his way.

Back at the front, Leclerc stuck with Hamilton as they dropped Perez who was being hounded by Piastri, Russell, Norris and Verstappen who were all within DRS of one another. Alonso and Alex Albon were holding down the final two points-paying positions. Zhou’s earlier hydraulic issue forced him to retire his car.

The numbers that matter after the Belgian GP

The updated Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings after the Belgian Grand Prix

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Nine laps in, Albon was the first of the top ten to pit, sparking stops from those behind him. The top nine stayed out, Hamilton reporting: “First sign of a little bit of graining on the left front. Rears are hot.” Mercedes and Red Bull pulled the trigger on lap 11, Russell and Verstappen in. Hamilton, Perez and Piastri were the next in then Leclerc and Alonso.

Sainz led the race ahead of Norris into lap 14, both yet to pit, while Piastri on his fresh hard tyres went on a charge as he overtook Russell, who had undercut him, and then Perez. Norris pitted at the end of lap 15, and came out behind Verstappen by some six seconds. Sainz ate dirt out of Stavelot, costing him three seconds.

Chasing Perez and Russell, an enthusiastic Verstappen declared: “I think we should try to get them, mate.” The reply: “Have a go!” It was easier said than done with Perez giving Russell a DRS boost. Russell overtook the Mexican driver on lap 21, Perez then pitting to free Verstappen who had Norris closing in on his rear wing.

There was a change at the very front when Sainz came in at the end of lap 21, handing the lead over to Hamilton with Leclerc P2 ahead of Piastri, Russell, Verstappen and Norris. Sainz came out P7 behind Norris by four seconds.

As the second round of pit stops began, Leclerc was the first to blink on lap 26, prompting Mercedes to pit Hamilton a lap later with the Briton out ahead of the Ferrari driver. But on the other side of the garage, Russell was talking “one stop”. Verstappen and Sainz pitted with 16 to go, Norris in a lap later and splitting the two behind Verstappen.

And then Piastri to give Russell the lead but it was a bad stop for the Aussie who went long and took out his jackman. Russell and Mercedes confirmed he was happy to stay out for a one-stop strategy, the Briton seven seconds up on Hamilton in a Mercedes 1-2. Make that five seconds two laps later…

Asking about his delta, Hamilton was told “it’s close, so close”. It was also close on Piastri, the fastest driver on the track, who overtook Leclerc to run third. He was 5s down on Hamilton with nine to go, Hamilton 3.8 behind Russell.

Playing a game of cat and mouse in the closing laps, Hamilton continued to eek into Russell’s lead with no apparent team orders at Mercedes. But instead of Piastri closing in at a rapid rate, Hamilton was keeping him in check. “Just make sure you give each other plenty of space,” was the word from the pit wall.

Running wing-to-wing with Russell defending against Hamilton, Piastri closed in on the team-mates, to the point where the top three were separated by 1.173s!

Result

1 Lewis HAMILTON
2 Oscar PIASTRI
3 Charles LECLERC
4 Max VERSTAPPEN
5 Lando NORRIS
6 Carlos SAINZ
7 Sergio PEREZ
8 Fernando ALONSO
9 Esteban OCON
10 Daniel RICCIARDO
11 Lance STROLL
12 Alexander ALBON
13 Pierre GASLY
14 Kevin MAGNUSSEN
15 Valtteri BOTTAS
16 Yuki TSUNODA
17 Logan SARGEANT
18 Nico HULKENBERG

Disqualified

George Russell (underweight car)

Did not finish

Zhou Guanyu Sauber – lap 6 – hydraulics

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