FIA stewards announce George Russell verdict over Canadian GP hazard

George Russell has been given a warning by the FIA stewards for failing to follow the Race Director’s instruction during FP2 at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Russell topped the timing charts in Free Practice 2, but the driver then had to pay a visit to the stewards thanks to an infringement.

George Russell summoned to FIA stewards in Canada

The Mercedes driver set a rapid pace of 1:12.123 around the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, doing so on a set of medium tyres. He wasted no time dipping out of the pits and rocketing to the top of the charts.

Just down in third was his teammate Kimi Antonelli, promising another strong Canadian Grand Prix for the Silver Arrows.

Russell, though, faced an anxious wait after FP2 as he was summoned to the stewards over an “alleged break of Article 12.2.1i of the International Sporting Code and non-compliance with Race Director’s Event Note (item 17.3, document 04) – Escape Road Instructions T14”.

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Article 12.2.1 reads “Any of the following offences, in addition to any offences specifically referred to previously or subsequently, shall be deemed to be a breach of these rules,” while the ‘i’ subset reads, “Failure to follow the instructions of the relevant officials for the safe and orderly conduct of the Event.”

As it relates to the Canadian Grand Prix, item 17.3 of the Race Director’s Event Note reads, “Any driver who fails to negotiate Turn 9 or Turn 13 and passes completely to the left of the orange apex kerb must keep completely to the left of the orange line on the exit of the corner and re-join the track at the far end of the asphalt run-off.”

The item was accompanied by an illustration of the corners in question, with the proper reentry points labeled with arrows.

In the closing stages of FP2, Russell did not properly reemerge onto the track — hence the summons.

The stewards examined the evidence and spoke with Russell before handing the Mercedes driver a warning for failing to follow the Race Director’s instruction.

‘The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 63 (George Russell), team representative and reviewed video and in-car video evidence,’ read the stewards’ verdict.

‘The driver of Car 63 explained that he had just pitted for new tyres and at Turn 13 he lost the rear of the car and had no alternative but to leave the track to the left of the orange kerb on the inside of Turn 14.

‘He said that he was focused on keeping the car off the wall and cut the orange line on the exit of Turn 14. He said that he immediately realised that in so doing he had not complied with the instruction and apologised.

‘No other cars were affected and the rejoining was not unsafe.

‘In the circumstances we determined that a Warning was appropriate, consistent with earlier decisions for similar infringements in free practice at this circuit.’

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