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The race outcome was referred to stewards for
review after it was found that Russell's No. 63 weighed 798.0
kilograms, which is the minimum weight required. Officials went
on to drain the fuel tank, and after doing so, the car weighed
796.5 kilograms - or 3.3 pounds - short of the requirement.
At a stewards' hearing, Russell's reps "acknowledged that there
were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error
by the team," according to a Formula One document.
Stewards subsequently overturned the race result.
"It is what it is, the mistake has happened," Mercedes principal
Toto Wolff said before the stewards' decision was rendered.
He added: "We have to learn from that. As a team there are more
positives to take. Obviously for George, it's a massive blow."
As it was being run, the race was one for the ages. Russell
nipped Hamilton and McLaren's Oscar Piastri, with just 1.1
seconds separating the trio.
At the Spa-Francorchamps track, Russell and his team decided to
take a gamble and stop just once, making a pit stop on the 10th
of 44 laps while the other cars stopped twice. His aging tires
held out as Russell crossed the finish line a half-second ahead
of Hamilton, his fellow Brit.
Hamilton tried to chase down Russell at the end of the race,
getting to within a second on the final four laps but couldn't
overtake his teammate.
With the win, Hamilton now has two on the season, following his
victory July 7 at the British Grand Prix.
Piastri was elevated to second place and Ferrari's Charles
Leclerc, who won the pole position, finished third. Championship
points leader Max Verstappen was fourth. The Red Bull driver
started 11th following an engine penalty.
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