Formula One races are often decided by mere tenths of a second, and the recent Belgian Grand Prix was no exception. In a dramatic turn of events, George Russell of Mercedes found himself disqualified after leading his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, by just 0.526 seconds.
The disqualification came as a result of Russell's car being found underweight. The FIA's scrutineers discovered that Russell's car weighed 796.5kg, falling below the mandatory 798kg minimum. This underweight condition showed up twice on the scales as the fuel drained from Russell's car was measured. With no room for appeal, Mercedes and Russell were left with no choice but to accept the disqualification.
The Weight of the Issue
Mercedes had opted for a one-stop strategy without having run the hard compound tyres at any point during the weekend. Russell drove from lap 10 to lap 44 on these hard tyres, which originally weigh about 42kg but can lose up to 3kg during prolonged use. This loss of rubber was deemed a contributing factor in the car being underweight. Furthermore, due to the layout of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, drivers do not complete a cooldown lap after crossing the chequered flag, which would typically allow them to pick up discarded rubber and debris, adding up to 2kg in weight.
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes' engineering director, acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, "We don't yet understand why the car was underweight following the race but will investigate thoroughly to find the explanation." He went on to add, "We won't be making any excuses, though. It is clearly not good enough, and we need to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Historical Perspective
This incident brings back memories of the last notable underweight disqualification in 2006, when Robert Kubica's BMW was found to be 2kg under the minimum weight after the Hungarian Grand Prix. Unlike Russell's car, which crossed the finish line intact, Kubica's car had crash damage, adding another layer of complexity to that historical episode.
Strategic Choices and Their Consequences
The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is known for its challenging layout and a length of 4.3 miles. Rain during Saturday's final practice session left teams unable to evaluate performance under dry conditions, making Mercedes' one-stop strategy with an untested tyre compound a bold move. In the end, this strategy, combined with tyre wear and the lack of a cooldown lap, culminated in an unfortunate disqualification for the team.
Team Principal Toto Wolff expressed the collective disappointment, saying, "We have to take it on the chin. We have clearly made a mistake and need to ensure we learn from it." He further commented, "To lose a one-two is frustrating, and we can only apologise to George, who drove such a strong race."
George Russell, who had initially praised his team with an "Amazing strategy, guys!" immediately after the race, later conveyed his heartbreak on social media with a single word: "Heartbreaking." The disqualification overshadowed what could have been a stellar performance, but the team's focus now shifts to understanding and rectifying the issue.
Looking Ahead
Andrew Shovlin has emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to ensure such issues do not reoccur. Toto Wolff reinforced this sentiment, stating they "will go away, evaluate what happened and understand what went wrong. To lose a one-two is frustrating, and we can only apologise to George, who drove such a strong race."
As Mercedes seeks to rectify their oversight, the Belgian Grand Prix will be remembered not just for the mere tenths of a second that separated teammates on the track, but also for the meticulous scrutiny that left one of them disqualified. This incident serves as a reminder of the razor-thin margins and the critical importance of every detail in the world of Formula One.