THE STRATEGIST: How do the teams make sure their cars are the correct weight – and what went wrong for Russell?

The teams went into Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix expecting it to be a two-stop race, but George Russell defied those predictions by pitting only once, before holding off his Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton to take the flag first.
But Russell went from joy to despair after the race when his car was found to be 1.5kgs underweight, and he was subsequently disqualified. So how do the teams go about working out the expected weight of the car post-race? And what is likely to have gone wrong for Russell? Former Aston Martin Head of Strategy Bernie Collins explains all…
Next Up
Related Articles
What happened on Day 3 of the Barcelona Shakedown?
ExplainedAll you need to know about F1 aerodynamics for 2026
The best social media from Day 3 in Barcelona
Formula 1 announces annual Promoter Awards winners
Hadjar hails ‘impressive’ start with Red Bull’s new engine
Leclerc hopes to ‘bring Ferrari back to top’ in 2026
