Mercedes F1: Major FIA punishment results in scathing verdict from race winner

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F1 winner delivers SCATHING Mercedes verdict after major FIA punishment

The FIA issued the team with a serious punishment following an error at the Belgian Grand Prix

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson F1 Editor

Motorsport journalist covering F1 since 2024

Thursday 1 August 2024 09:12 Updated: 09:49

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A former Formula 1 driver and Grand Prix winner has delivered a scathing verdict on Mercedes following their blunder at the Belgian GP that led to a major punishment issued by the FIA.

Star George Russell had taken the chequered flag after 44 gruelling laps at Spa, with the key to his success a one-stop strategy that he demanded be executed from the cockpit.

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Russell was involved in a thrilling battle with team-mate Lewis Hamilton right to the end of the race, but it was the younger Brit who came out on top.

That was only to be the case for a few hours, however, with Russell later disqualified by the FIA due to his car failing to meet the minimum weight limit.

George Russell was disqualified after winning the Belgian GP

Lewis Hamilton inherited the Belgian GP win from his team-mate

Johnny Herbert winner blasts Mercedes

As a result of Russell's disqualification, Lewis Hamilton inherited the race victory, with fans and pundits alike left to speculate on how Mercedes could make such an error.

Now, former F1 racer and Grand Prix winner Johnny Herbert has slammed the team, claiming there are no excuses for their mistake given the technology available in the current era of the sport.

"Toto Wolff will rightly be spitting bullets. It is something in the modern era with the technology they have, that should never happen. There is no excuse," Herbert blasted, speaking to TopOffShoreSportsBooks.com.

"It was a brilliant call by George to go for only one stop, and Toto called him the 'tyre whisperer', but the team has got to be able to weigh up the implications of that decision and relay those to the driver.

Johnny Herbert says there are no excuses for Mercedes' error

"There’s been talk of whether it was the tyre wear which left the car 1.5 kg underweight. George mentioned that about fuel too but they know the car’s weight to a millionth of a gram. They know what they are starting with and what they will finish with.

Herbert later added: "The tyres which George had would have been lighter at the end of the race that they would have been had he done an extra pit stop,"

"That potentially could explain the weight difference. But the team should have known that. Less rubber on the tyre means less weight.

"Cars are so on the edge with the weight that when things don’t quite go to plan there is a risk they will lose out and a race."

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes FIA George Russell