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UPDATE: Red Bull protest dismissed, Russell retains Canada GP win
George Russell has had his victory in the Canadian Grand Prix confirmed after Red Bull's protest into his driving was dismissed five and a half hours after the race.
Red Bull lodged the protest on two fronts, claiming Russell drove erratically behind the safety car when he firmly hit the brakes on the back straight, causing Max Verstappen – who is just one penalty point away from a race ban – to pull ahead of the Mercedes on his left side.
The other aspect was focused on Russell dropping a significant distance behind the safety car each time it exited the pit lane, with the field following it through while Lando Norris’ car was cleared from the pit straight. This portion of the protest was later withdrawn.
On the braking situation, Red Bull claimed Russell’s braking was unnecessar, and “also alleged that by complaining over team radio that Car No. 1 had overtaken him under safety car the driver of Car 63 had ‘displayed unsportsmanlike intent.'"
Red Bull took that further in the protest, stating Russell looked in his mirrors to see where Verstappen was, braking to ensure he was overtaken and then complaining in the hope he would be investigated, and also that Russell must have known the race would end under safety car so didn’t need to keep heat in his brakes.
Mercedes and Russell countered that braking on that straight is commonplace to generate heat into the brakes – highlighting Verstappen also doing so on previous laps – and that the radio message was factual, but the team did not report the overtaking as Verstappen dropped behind Russell again instantly.
With race control also confirming it had assessed Russell’s driving and not felt it was worthy of reporting the stewards, the stewards dismissed the protest from Red Bull.
"We accept the driver of Car No. 63’s explanation of the incident and we are satisfied that the driver of Car No. 63 did not drive erratically by braking where he did or to the extent he did.
“We are not satisfied that by simply reporting to his team that Car No. 1 had overtaken that he engaged in unsportsmanlike conduct.
“Even though the protest did not allege it, we are also satisfied that by braking where and when he did and to the extent he did, the driver of Car No. 63 did not engage in unsportsmanlike conduct.”
The outcome confirms Russell as the winner of the race, ahead of Verstappen in second place.
Chris Medland
While studying Sports Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire, Chris managed to talk his way into working at the British Grand Prix in 2008 and was retained for three years before joining ESPN F1 as Assistant Editor. After three further years at ESPN, a spell as F1 Editor at Crash Media Group was followed by the major task of launching F1i.com’s English-language website and running it as Editor. Present at every race since the start of 2014, he has continued building his freelance portfolio, working with international titles. As well as writing for RACER, his broadcast work includes television appearances on F1 TV and as a presenter and reporter on North America's live radio coverage on SiriusXM.
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