George Russell and Mercedes F1 PAY debate sees former team boss take defiant stance

Toto Wolff, George Russell, Social, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Former F1 team boss takes defiant stance in Russell and Mercedes PAY debate

George Russell was disqualified from the Belgian Grand prix

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 4 August 2024 13:57

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A former Formula 1 team boss has urged Toto Wolff to pay George Russell following his unfortunate disqualification at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Russell won the race on-track in Spa, and celebrated that victory alongside Lewis Hamilton on the top step of the podium in jubilant scenes for a Mercedes team who have not had a one-two since the 2022 Brazilian GP.

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However, a few hours after the race, it was revealed that Russell was under investigation for his car being underweight in random checks undertaken by stewards at the end of the race.

It was later revealed that his W15 car was 1.5kg under the 798kg minimum weight during post-race checks, and the Brit was disqualified, promoting Hamilton up to claim his 105th career race victory.

George Russell celebrated victory in Belgium

George Russell was then disqualified after the race had finished

Will Russell get a win bonus?

While it was Hamilton who finished the weekend celebrating, Russell outclassed his seven-time world champion team-mate on track, and managed to keep him at bay in the final few laps of the race, despite Hamilton having much fresher tyres.

Many described Russell's initial victory as the best win of his career to date, with the 26-year-old having claimed two previous F1 wins.

However, Mercedes' mistake left the Brit not even able to take home a single point from the Belgian GP, in what he described as a 'heartbreaking' moment.

Now, former F1 boss Eddie Jordan has suggested that Mercedes should still pay Russell his win bonus, as a show of respect for what the 26-year-old managed to achieve during the race.

"There is no real right way and there's no real wrong way on this one," Jordan said on the Formula for Success podcast when asked by David Coulthard whether Russell would be paid a win bonus.

Toto Wolff sees lots of potential in George Russell

"And it comes down to compassion and it comes down to the relationship with the driver and the team and just generally.

"I know Toto. Toto is not a poor man. And he's very astute and very careful. He sees in George a world champion going forward.

"Why not pay him the money? If there's a genuine mistake, which it looks as if it is, that's what he said in his press release. Pay him the money.

"George is not going to miss his next meal over whether he gets it or not. But the reality is you're Mercedes, you're a top team and you've been surprised how great this driver is. Pay him."