George Russell Retires on Lap 1 at Belgian GP as Battery Failure Leaves Him 50 Points Back
Updated
Updated · ESPN · Jul 19
George Russell Retires on Lap 1 at Belgian GP as Battery Failure Leaves Him 50 Points Back
3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jul 19
Summary
Opening-lap contact with Lewis Hamilton ended George Russell’s Belgian Grand Prix after his Mercedes spun into the gravel at Les Combes.
A battery recharge failure out of Turn 1 left Russell 35% down on energy, then at 0% by the top of Eau Rouge, causing a severe power loss that he said was “quite frankly dangerous.”
Stewards gave Hamilton a five-second penalty for causing the collision, but Russell called it a racing incident and said the real problem was that he should never have been left so exposed.
Kimi Antonelli won for a sixth time, stretching his championship lead as Russell dropped to third, 50 points back, while Hamilton’s fourth place moved him to second at 45 points behind.