Hamilton wins Belgian GP after Russell's disqualification

Russell wins at Spa but gets disqualified

© Mercedes AMG Petronas F1

The seven-time world champion adds the 105th victory to his Formula 1 record. Piastri and Leclerc completed the podium.

The last race before the summer break left us with a very balanced, even unpredictable, outlook for what lies ahead in the second half of 2024. After disastrous free practice sessions and abandoning a new foundation project, Mercedes achieved a surprising one-two finish at Spa. George Russell led the race, followed by Lewis Hamilton in second place, with Oscar Piastri completing the podium after a strong weekend.

The performance of the two British drivers was exceptional, with diverse strategies. Lewis Hamilton executed a two-stop race, managing his position very well from the start, where he managed to overtake Checo Pérez. The seven-time world champion was the favourite for the win, but his teammate, George Russell, precisely identified the minimal wear on his hard tyres in the second stint of the race. The Briton requested a switch to a one-stop strategy, completing 34 of the 44 laps on the same set of hard tyres, securing the third victory of his career and an exceptional and unexpected one-two finish for the Brackley team.

However, the euphoria of victory was short-lived for Russell. Shortly after the end of the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, the FIA conducted a routine investigation and found an irregularity in car number 63. It was an infringement of Article 4.1 of the Formula 1 technical regulations regarding the total weight at the end of the race, resulting in his direct disqualification, a common penalty in such cases.

The regulations stipulate that the car's mass, without fuel, must not be less than 798 kg at any time during the competition. Russell's W15 recorded a weight of 796.5 kg, one and a half kilograms below the FIA's permitted limit.

Lewis Hamilton's car was in compliance, so he automatically received first place; Oscar Piastri moved up to second and Charles Leclerc completed the podium in third place.

RED BULL DOESN'T GET THE EXPECTED RESULT

The Milton Keynes team failed to reach the podium for the second consecutive weekend. Max Verstappen showed a thirst for victory from free practice, securing pole position, but had to start from eleventh due to an engine change penalty.

The Dutchman quickly climbed the initial positions against weaker rivals but soon got stuck behind Lando Norris, who had dropped from fourth to sixth due to a start error. Despite his apparent harmony with the team on the radio and receiving help from Checo Pérez, who even gave up his position at one point, Verstappen could only finish fifth (fourth after the updated positions).

Checo Pérez, on the other hand, was virtually fighting for his seat this weekend, crucial for Red Bull in deciding whether to continue with the Mexican or opt for promoting Daniel Ricciardo or bringing in Liam Lawson. Pérez had a good performance in qualifying, starting second, but his race performance was disappointing, finishing eighth (seventh after Russell's disqualification).

Once again, the result was far from Red Bull's expectations, as stated by Christian Horner, who was seen talking with Laurent Mekies (Team Principal of Visa Cash App Racing Bulls) and Daniel Ricciardo. We will have to wait for the final decision of the current world champions, but Pérez's position is more at risk than ever.

Sainz and Alonso Both in the Points Zone

Fernando Alonso had a quiet race but managed to score good points by finishing eighth after Russell's disqualification. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, finished sixth, standing out in the second stint with hard tyres.

However, his poor qualifying prevented him from vying for the podium that his teammate, Charles Leclerc, achieved. The Madrilenian has not yet officially decided his team for 2025, although latest rumours from Germany suggest that Williams could be his destination after his stint with Ferrari.

@outoftheboxf1
Previous
Previous

Has Carlos Sainz made the right decision in choosing Williams?

Next
Next

Lewis Hamilton Wins British GP After 945 Days Without Victory