Ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix, George Russell reflects on his disqualification at Spa
Disqualified in Belgium for having too light a single-seater, the Mercedes driver feels that his team has learned its lessons and is now looking ahead to the rest of the season.

At the end of the Belgian Grand Prix, George Russell thought he would leave for vacation with three wins to his name. However, the winner of the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix and the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix had a bad surprise a few hours after arriving in Spa. Under the regulatory weight, his Mercedes was removed from the standings and the driver disqualified.
Interviewed in Zandvoort about this situation, Lewis Hamilton’s teammate provided some details.
« I lost a little more weight than we thought during the race, the tires and the floor lost more than expected so when we combine these three elements, we found ourselves below the regulatory limit. »
Russell even specifies that he knew before the race that his car was a bit too light but it was too late to find a solution.
« I knew before the race that I was a bit too light, but it was too late to change anything unless I ate a steak or something, which is certainly not the solution for preparing a race! What is certain is that we will now be more careful. As often, you have to make a mistake first until you recognize that there is a problem.
Despite his disqualification in Spa, Russell will still consider this 2024 edition of the Belgian Grand Prix as a victory and does not take away from the happiness felt after this race.
« It’s frustrating that the only time in three years when you are under the minimum weight is when you win, but there are no hard feelings. I lost 25 points, but in my mind, it’s still a victory. I kept the helmet I wore that day, and it will be displayed next to the ones from my first two wins. Celebrating with the team right after the race is one of the best moments of my career, so I only take positive things from this race weekend.
The English driver is currently 8th in the drivers’ standings with 116 points and will be one of the men to watch this weekend at Zandvoort behind the wheel of a Mercedes that has been performing well for several Grand Prix.