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
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: George Russell holds off Lewis Hamilton again (Lap 43/44)
Both Mercedes cars go deep at turn 1 and Hamilton isn’t close enough again as they go up the hill!
Just one-and-a-half laps left - and Piastri is just one second off Hamilton too!
F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton backs out of a move! (Lap 42/44)
Hamilton has a look down the inside at the end of the Kemmel Straight - but doesn’t go for it!
Russell doing everything he can to hold off his team-mate!
But Oscar Piastri is catching Hamilton rapidly now, just two seconds behind!
Which way will this swing?!
Top-10: Russell, Hamilton, Piastri, Leclerc, Verstappen, Norris, Sainz, Perez, Alonso, Ocon
F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Russell and Hamilton are allowed to race (Lap 40/44)
No team orders! Hamilton will have to get the move done on Russell..
Bono to Hamilton: “Just give each other plenty of space.”
Hamilton now within 0.5 seconds and has DRS and a tyre advantage.
F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Hamilton now just one second off Russell (Lap 39/44)
OK, so will Mercedes simply tell Russell to move aside - surely they will?!
The gap just one second now.
Piastri is 4.8 seconds behind Hamilton with five laps left.
It should be a Mercedes one-two - but which way round?!
F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri overtakes Charles Leclerc (Lap 37/44)
Big move from Oscar Piastri!
The McLaren has superior pace down the Kemmel Straight and gets it done on Leclerc around the outside... just!
Piastri up to third - and now has Lewis Hamilton, five seconds down the road, in his sights.
At the front, Hamilton continues to shave Russell’s lead - it’s now 3.7 seconds.
Top-10: Russell, Hamilton, Piastri, Leclerc, Verstappen, Norris, Perez, Sainz, Alonso, Stroll
F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton on team radio (Lap 35/44)
“What’s my pace, am I on target to beat him or not?” asks Hamilton.
Bono: “It’s close, it’s close.”
Hamilton: “Understood.”
The gap is 5.2 seconds to Russell. And he’s 2.9 seconds clear of Leclerc in third, but the Ferrari is under pressure from Oscar Piastri now.
F1 Belgian Grand Prix: George Russell is going to the end (Lap 33/44)
Russell, as he often does, gambling then and is going to the end on these tyres!
Hamilton is cutting the gap though, it’s now 5.4 seconds.
Leclerc is 2.6 seconds down the road, while Norris is just inside DRS range on Verstappen in fifth.
Top-10: Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, Piastri, Verstappen, Norris, Perez, Sainz, Alonso, Bottas
F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri pits (Lap 31/44)
Oh Oscar!
Piastri overextends in his pit box, coming in too hot and almost knocking over the front jack man!
It means a slow stop, 4.4 seconds, but he does come out in front of Verstappen in fourth.
Top-10: Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, Piastri, Verstappen, Norris, Perez, Sainz, Alonso, Bottas
And Russell, by the sounds of it, is staying out for a one-stopper! He’s seven seconds clear of his team-mate.
F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Lando Norris pits (Lap 30/44)
Indeed, Norris does pit - and he’s out behind Verstappen but in front of Sainz!
Verstappen, incidentally, only had a medium tyre available - so it will be interesting to see what performs better against Norris’ hard tyre!
F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen pits (Lap 29/44)
Verstappen and Sainz pit - will Norris respond too in the next lap?
Order is shaking up then amid these pit stops...
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