Mercedes F1 star George Russell opens up on brutal disqualification: 'The reward outweighs the risk'

George Russell, Mercedes, Japan, 2026 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Mercedes star George Russell opens up on brutal F1 disqualification

George remembers that fateful day

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Saturday 15 August 2026 17:30

Make us your Google favorite

It is not a place George Russell wanted to return to, but this week the Mercedes star had to relive his nightmare Belgian Grand Prix disqualification.

We are now just over two years out from the fateful moment in July 2024 when Russell saw a brilliant victory at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit snatched away in the most devastating of circumstances.

Russell was absolutely flawless as he roared home in P1, ahead of Mercedes team-mate and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Article continues under video

But the post-race celebrations were cut very short for George when his car was weighed after the chequered flag had dropped. It was revealed that his W15 was 1.5kg under the 798kg minimum weight per FIA regulations.

F1 RECAP: Hamilton strikes gold on $9bn valuation as team boss triggers record sale

Russell relives fateful day at Spa

This week he was asked to relive that grim end to what had looked like a perfect Sunday when he was interviewed by Mercedes team sponsor SAP.

The 28-year-old British star explained: "So this race was always destined to be a two pit stop race. That was the strategy that every single driver was on course to complete.

"After my first pit stop, I was about 10 laps into my stint and I was like 'I feel good here, these tyres feel good and I think I can make it to the end of this race.

"We've only done one pit stop and I went on team radio like: 'Okay, let's consider the one stop - I'm feeling good'."

With the new strategy now employed, the question was whether Russell could hold off his charging team-mate Hamilton to clinch victory.

"The team were like: 'Yeah, we're on course to be caught with two laps to go. So I can't make a single mistake here. I need to keep on pushing."

George was perfect in those closing stages as he held off Hamilton to take the third win of his career so far. From there it was to the podium to lift his trophy and celebrate with the crowd. But very soon, there was very bad news.

"Found out probably only about 20minutes later that the car was 1.5kg underweight. The crazy thing about this 1.5kg - going quite technical now - is our team analyse every single race how much weight the car loses from the start of the race to the end of the race. For example, the fuel that we burn has to be accounted for.

"The weight that I as a driver lose in liquids through the race, the brakes because you're braking with the brake pads and brake discs. The brakes are losing weight through the race.

"The floor is scraping along, the ground is losing weight through the race, the tyres, because you're sort of burning the rubber - the tyres are lighter at the end of the race than the start of the race. So we have to calculate all of these different items on my car, and the tyres."

Russell's win was handed to Lewis Hamilton at Spa in 2024.

So why was Russell disqualified?

So why was George underweight when you factor in the painstaking measures Mercedes took to avoid that scenario? It all comes back to that strategy change.

"Because I had only done one pit stop, I had much less rubber on my tyres. Came in around the one kilo lighter than my team-mate's tyres. Because he had fresher tyres on and had more rubber on his tyres, and that was quite a factor in us being pushed over the edge."

George says Spa gamble was worth the risk

So, two years on, does Russell believe that the strategy gamble was worth the risk which ultimately came back to bite him? His answer is emphatically affirmative.

"Risk and competition go hand in hand," he said.

"I was in fourth place before the pit stop and I thought, well, if I get this wrong I could end up in fifth, sixth or seventh. If I get this right I can win the race.

"In that moment it was clear the reward outweighs the risk and I was willing to do it."

CHRISTIAN HORNER RETURN: Key deadline looms with $10bn jackpot in play

Written by

Graham Shaw - Consultant Editor

Digital sports leader with 30 years of senior level experience running global brands. Built sportinglife.com to be a behemoth in the UK as well as being in charge of the Planet Sport network of sites including planetf1.com, football365.com, teamtalk.com and planetrugby.com. Then grew goal.com to be the world's biggest soccer website in 18 languages and 37 territories. Was GM of Portals for Perform Group (now DAZN) with overall responsibility for sportingnews.com, spox.de and voetbalzone.nl.

View full biography

F1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes George Russell Belgian Grand Prix