Red Bull Loses Appeal Against Mercedes Following Canadian GP Controversy
The FIA stewards have upheld Mercedes’ actions after Red Bull Racing’s protest against George Russell’s performance during the Canadian Grand Prix, where Russell secured his first victory of the 2025 season. The race concluded under a late safety car, triggered by a collision between McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Russell started from pole position and maintained his lead, finishing ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The safety car was deployed due to debris on the track resulting from the McLaren incident, which led to a contentious moment as Verstappen accused Russell of erratic driving while following the safety car. Verstappen claimed that Russell had excessively slowed down, causing an unsafe situation.
Red Bull principal Christian Horner elaborated on the protest, stating, "There have been two protests that we’ve put to the stewards… Firstly relating to the erratic driving behind the safety car, where George very heavily braked, obviously looking at his mirror for Max." Additionally, Red Bull raised concerns about Russell maintaining more than the allowed distance behind the safety car.
Horner noted that their actions were not personal, referring to precedent set during the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix, where Sergio Perez received penalties for similar infractions. Both teams presented their cases to the stewards, but the appeal was ultimately rejected.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions in the championship as teams contend with the intricacies of safety car regulations. Further developments may emerge as the season progresses.
