Mercedes F1 News: Toto Wolff slams FIA over PENALTY as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell suffer

United States GP

Wolff slams FIA over Mercedes PENALTY as Hamilton and Russell suffer

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed his thoughts on a penalty at the US GP

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Sunday 20 October 2024 22:23

Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has issued a scathing verdict over a decision made by the FIA at the United States Grand Prix.

The Silver Arrows were hoping for another memorable year in Austin, with star driver Lewis Hamilton holding the current record for the most wins at COTA.

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The seven-time champion has stormed to victory five times at the popular track, but faced a mammoth task this year after an early exit in qualifying saw him start from the back of the pack.

His team-mate George Russell crashed out of that very same qualifying session but was set to start sixth on the grid.

In a late call by the FIA however, Russell was forced to start from the pitlane, meaning Hamilton was bumped up to a P17 start.

The British champion got off to a flying start, improving his position to P12, but shortly after, Hamilton beached his W15 deep in the gravel at Turn 18, bizarrely in the same spot that Russell struggled at previously, presenting more heartache for Wolff in a race weekend to forget.

Lewis Hamilton will not finish the US GP for the first time in his career

Toto Wolff has not been dealt the result he would have hoped for at COTA

Mercedes handed 'joke' penalty at US GP

With just one driver remaining in the race for Mercedes, team principal Wolff would have been hoping for a clean run after the restart after Hamilton's crash saw the return of the safety car.

In the latest of many controversial FIA decisions over the weekend, George Russell was handed a five-second penalty for forcing Valtteri Bottas off the track.

The incident sparked instant backlash against the FIA, from both Wolff and Russell, with the driver responding to the news over team radio, audibly perplexed by the ruling for his seemingly safe move on the Sauber.

Wolff himself then appeared on Russell's radio, declaring: "Total joke with the penalty George, total joke."

Reviewing the decision, Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle appeared to agree with the Mercedes principal, stating: "So you can basically almost ensure your rivalry gets a penalty with those rules."

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