Huge heartbreak for Russell as Hamilton inherits win amid thrilling Belgian GP

14:40, 20 Jul

byTobia Elia

George Russell crossed the finish line first but was later disqualified after his Mercedes W15 was found to be underweight during post-race checks, handing victory to Lewis Hamilton. Here's a quick recap of what went down last year at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps.

After securing a sensational pole position on Saturday, Max Verstappen was hit with a ten-place grid penalty due to engine change, forcing him to start from eleventh on the grid.

Charles Leclerc therefore started from pole and managed to hold the lead off the line until lap three, when Lewis Hamilton overtook him around the outside at the end of the Kemmel straight to take the lead.

Russell, Hamilton and Piastri on 2024 Belgian GP podium

Major blow for Mercedes as Russell gets disqualified

The real hero of the day, however, was George Russell. Starting from sixth on the grid, he pulled off a strategic masterclass, being the only driver to opt for a one-stop strategy while everyone else — including his teammate — went for two stops.

Both McLarens and Max Verstappen made up several positions during the race, but all eyes were on the Mercedes duo.

In the closing stages, Hamilton began to close the gap on his teammate, running on much fresher tyres.

As they entered the final lap, the seven-time world champion got within DRS range and made a desperate push to get close enough for an overtake — but ultimately, it wasn’t enough.

Oscar Piastri managed to overtake Charles Leclerc for third place on lap 36, while Russell celebrated his second win of the season after his victory in Austria. However, the post-race drama brought a stunning blow for the British driver.

His W15 was found to be 1.5 kg underweight due to excessive tyre wear, leading to an inevitable disqualification. As a result, the victory was handed to his teammate, who celebrated what remains, to date, his most recent Formula 1 win (104).