Mercedes is committing to adjusting its procedures to prevent a repeat of George Russell’s disqualification in the Belgian Grand Prix. The team disclosed that its cars were only 500 grams apart in weight at the start of the race.
Russell was stripped of his victory after it was discovered that his car was 1.5 kilograms under the required weight limit, despite executing a successful one-stop strategy to clinch the win at Spa-Francorchamps. Mercedes’ trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin indicated that excessive tire wear, particularly on Russell’s car, likely contributed to the discrepancy.
Shovlin expressed disappointment over the disqualification, especially considering Russell’s superb performance in the race. The team is currently investigating the factors behind the weight loss, which could have resulted from tire wear, plank wear, brake wear, oil consumption, and even the driver’s own weight loss.
Mercedes aims to analyze the data and refine its processes to prevent similar incidents in the future. The team acknowledges the impact of weight loss on Russell’s race time, emphasizing that the difference is minimal but still significant.
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Despite the setbacks, Shovlin highlighted the positives from the Belgian GP. He noted the team’s strong performance and ability to secure a 1-2 finish, with Lewis Hamilton inheriting the win after Russell’s disqualification. Mercedes showed resilience in challenging conditions and maintained a competitive edge on the hot track.
Shovlin praised the engineering team’s efforts to fine-tune the car for optimal performance and underscored the encouraging aspects of Mercedes’ showing in Belgium. While disappointed by the outcome, the team remains optimistic about future races.
