Mercedes will aim to modify its procedures to prevent a recurrence of George Russell’s disqualification in the Belgian Grand Prix, after disclosing that its cars had a weight difference of only 500 grams at the start of the race. Russell was disqualified for his car being 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lbs) underweight after winning the race at Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday, employing an initially unplanned one-stop strategy. Mercedes’ trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin acknowledged that excessive tire wear likely played a role, but it only affected Russell’s car.
“It was undoubtedly disappointing and unfortunate, especially considering the strong race he drove to win from such a disadvantaged position,” Shovlin remarked. “We are currently seeking to comprehend exactly what occurred. A significant part of this process involves obtaining the weights of all the different components. During the race, the car can shed a considerable amount of weight due to tire wear, plank wear, brake wear, and oil consumption. Additionally, the driver themselves can lose a substantial amount of weight, and in this particular race, George lost quite a bit.”
“The cars began the race at the same weight, as both Lewis and George were weighed after qualifying. The cars were within 500 grams of each other. George’s car was the only one that encountered the issue, primarily due to higher tire wear. It seems that we lost more material on the plank. We will gather all the relevant data and examine how we can refine our processes to prevent a recurrence in the future.”
Shovlin acknowledged that the weight loss would have affected Russell’s overall race time, albeit to a minimal extent. “In terms of pace at the start of the race, there is no difference because George’s car and Lewis’ car start the race at the same weight. However, as George’s car lost weight faster than Lewis’ throughout the race, there is a corresponding advantage. Nevertheless, we are talking about hundredths of a second per lap. The impact is negligible since amounts like one or two kilos do not translate into significant lap time differences. As I mentioned, at the start of the race, the cars were equal in weight.”
Despite the disappointment of losing a one-two finish, Shovlin emphasized that there were positive aspects for Mercedes to focus on, with Hamilton ultimately inheriting the victory after initially finishing second. “It was a bittersweet moment. The race concluded in a fantastic manner. Achieving a 1-2 finish was a remarkable accomplishment, especially considering the challenges we faced on Friday. Despite the disappointment, the team is genuinely encouraged by our performance. The engineering team did an excellent job resolving the car’s issues, enabling it to perform exceptionally well in the race.”
“It was also encouraging for us as we have struggled on hot circuits this year. The track in Belgium was quite hot, and we demonstrated strong performance, particularly during long runs. George, in particular, completed one of the longest stints among all drivers. There are certainly many positives to take away from this, and it is a shame that we were unable to maintain the final result.”
