Mercedes and Red Bull Clash Over Post-Race Protest at Canadian GP
In the wake of the Canadian Grand Prix, a controversy has emerged between Mercedes and Red Bull regarding a protest lodged against George Russell, who secured victory in the race. Red Bull alleged that Russell had breached regulations by dropping over ten car lengths behind the Safety Car and exhibiting erratic braking. The team filed the protest nearly two hours post-race, retracting one of the claims related to Russell’s use of the yellow flag delta upon exiting the pits. However, the second protest was dismissed five and a half hours after the chequered flag.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff criticized Red Bull’s actions, labeling them “petty” and “embarrassing.” Speaking at a recent F1 event, Wolff stated, “They’ve done it in Miami. Now they lodged two protests… I guess the FIA needs to look at that because it’s so farfetched it was rejected.” He emphasized that victories should be determined on track and defended the legitimacy of Russell’s win.
Wolff expressed a belief that the decision to protest was not influenced by Max Verstappen, suggesting the driver himself would not pursue such trivial matters. “I’m 100% sure it’s not Max; he’s a racer and would never go for a protest on such a trivial thing,” Wolff stated.
Conversely, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner defended his team’s decision to protest, asserting, “It’s a team’s right to do so… We saw something we didn’t think was quite right.” Horner expressed no regrets regarding the actions taken, underscoring the team’s commitment to ensuring fairness in the competition.
The incident raises questions about the appropriateness and process of post-race protests, highlighting ongoing tensions between two of the grid’s leading teams. The FIA may need to evaluate its protocols in light of this situation.
