F1 Belgian GP LIVE: George Russell stripped of victory as car breaks rules

Russell has been disqualified from Sunday’s race with his car having failed a post-race check

Lando Norris reacts to dramatic end to Hungarian Grand Prix

George Russell was disqualified from Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix just hours after claiming a thrilling victory on track.

The 26-year-old opted for a bold race strategy, pitting only once for tyres, and it seemed to have paid off in brilliant fashion as he fended off a late challenge from Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to claim what he thought was his third win in Formula One.

However, in an initial post-race check, Russell’s Mercedes car was found to be 1.5 kg under the weight permitted in the regulations, following the obligatory drainage of fuel.

The matter was referred to the FIA stewards, who an hour later confirmed that Russell had been disqualified from the race classification. The driver himself, it has been reported, found out about the disqualification whilst on his way home to Monaco.

Follow live updates from the Belgian Grand Prix with The Independent

F1 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES

• BREAKING: George Russell disqualified from the Belgian Grand Prix
• Russell held off challenge from Lewis Hamilton but has been stripped of his win post-race
• Mercedes boss Toto Wolff reacts: ‘We have to take it on the chin'
• Lewis Hamilton hints at Mercedes error after initially missing out on win
• OVERTAKE! Lewis Hamilton takes first from Charles Leclerc (Lap 3/44)
• Max Verstappen quickest in qualifying but started P11 due to penalty
• PREVIEW: Lando Norris must start converting potential into race wins

[26 July 2024 12:20 · Kieran Jackson]

Jacques Villeneuve: Sergio Perez would not claim a seat at Williams, let alone Red Bull

Sergio Perez would not get a seat at Williams right now amid his Red Bull struggles, says former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve.

The Mexican driver has endured a torrid few months, scoring just 15 points in his last six appearances, with team boss Christian Horner admitting that the 34-year-old’s form is currently “unsustainable.”

Amid speculation Perez – who only signed a new deal until the end of 2025 a month ago – could be dropped mid-season, the Mexican spun in Q1 and crashed out, leaving him 16^th on the grid for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

And 1997 world champion Villeneuve, who was highly critical of Daniel Ricciardo last month, insisted in a conversation about Williams’s driver choice for 2025 that Perez should not be on their list.

Full piece below:

[26 July 2024 12:10 · Kieran Jackson]

Driver Standings ahead of this weekend:

1. Max Verstappen - 265 points

2. Lando Norris - 189 points

3. Charles Leclerc - 162 points

4. Carlos Sainz - 154 points

5. Oscar Piastri - 149 points

6. Lewis Hamilton - 125 points

7. Sergio Perez - 124 points

8. George Russell - 116 points

9. Fernando Alonso - 45 points

10. Lance Stroll - 24 points

11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points

12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points

13. Daniel Ricciardo - 11 points

14. Oliver Bearman - 6 points

15. Pierre Gasly - 6 points

16. Kevin Magnussen - 5 points

17. Alex Albon - 4 points

18. Esteban Ocon - 3 points

19. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points

20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points

21. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points

[26 July 2024 12:00 · Kieran Jackson]

It’s a big weekend for Sergio Perez:

The Red Bull driver really needs a strong race at Spa after a few months to forget and his seat very much in danger now...

(Getty Images)

[26 July 2024 11:30 · Kieran Jackson]

COMMENT: The lesson McLaren must learn after Oscar Piastri win turns sour amid Lando Norris row

As the laps remaining tumbled down at the end of the Hungarian Grand Prix, there was one topic on everyone’s lips as a papaya storm brewed at the front. Will Lando Norris – Formula One’s Mr Popular – follow the instructions of his team? Or, in a shock twist, won’t he?

Norris, a championship contender for the first time, was put in an unenviable position by McLaren at the Hungaroring on Sunday. Having regained the lead of the race through the team’s questionable pit-stop strategy, the British driver was extending his lead on the track from teammate Oscar Piastri, originally in first after a super move at the start.

The gap was six seconds and there were less than five laps remaining. With his race engineer Will Joseph imploring his driver to follow protocol – “please, do it now” – Norris had to swing one way or the other. Be selfless, or selfish?