Mercedes driver George Russell has admitted that his post-race disqualification from the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix is a memory that will never leave him.
Russell was stripped of what appeared to be a well-earned victory at Spa after the FIA’s technical delegate found his car weighed 796.5 kg, below the 798.0 kg minimum requirement.
The disqualification handed the race win to his then Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who had been unable to pass Russell on track despite running a two-stop strategy.
Russell had executed a masterclass one-stop strategy during the race, holding off Hamilton in what was a thrilling conclusion at the iconic Belgian circuit.
Speaking ahead of the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, Russell opened up about the lasting impact of that ruling during an appearance on the Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show.
When host Bradley Lord asked whether Spa owed Russell anything after the events of 2024, the Brit gave a candid and revealing response about how deeply the incident had affected him.
“No, I don’t feel like it owes me anything, to be honest,” Russell said, before race engineer Marcus Dudley joked that the circuit owed him something personally.
Russell quipped back, “Owes Marcus a kilo and a half,” before turning more reflective about the weight of that particular result.
“When the day I’m lying on my deathbed, I’ll probably remember that race because of what happened,” Russell admitted, underlining just how significant the moment remains for him.
Russell also acknowledged the broader challenges facing him this weekend, noting: “It’s going to be difficult this year, like Shov said, with the energy management and a lot of challenges. It’s a tough track at the best of times.”
The Mercedes driver heads into the Belgian Grand Prix 25 points behind teammate Kimi Antonelli in the championship standings, making a strong result at Spa all the more important.
Russell’s best Belgian Grand Prix finish remains a second place for Williams in 2021, a rain-shortened race that lasted just three laps behind the safety car, meaning a first Spa victory is still to come.