George Russell`s third-place finish in the Miami Grand Prix has been confirmed after Formula 1 stewards rejected a post-race protest filed by the Red Bull team.
Russell secured the final podium position on Sunday, finishing just ahead of Max Verstappen. However, Red Bull lodged a protest with the stewards, arguing that the Mercedes driver had not slowed down sufficiently when a single-waved yellow flag was displayed during the race.
Stewards convened a hearing involving representatives from both Mercedes and Red Bull in the hours following the race weekend.
In their submission, Red Bull contended that although Russell had lifted the throttle upon seeing the yellow flag, his speed did not decrease, which they claimed violated the regulations.
Mercedes countered, stating that the established and accepted practice among all teams and the FIA is that a significant lift of the throttle in a yellow flag zone is considered an appropriate response and complies with the rules.
Mercedes representatives added that Russell had indeed lifted the throttle significantly after noticing Gabriel Bortoleto`s Sauber car stopped beside the track.
The stewards ultimately dismissed Red Bull`s case, resulting in Red Bull forfeiting their protest deposit.
The stewards` findings indicated that telemetry and onboard footage confirmed Car 63 (Russell) lifted the throttle by approximately 25% in the yellow flag zone, leading to about a 30% reduction in torque. The stewards clarified that the regulation requiring a “discernibly reduced speed” in a yellow flag zone refers to a reduction relative to the regular racing speed for that part of the track, not necessarily a reduction in absolute speed. They noted that Russell`s speed in the zone was considerably slower than normal racing speed, although the absolute speed increased slightly. They concluded that reducing relative speed is the correct interpretation, as it consistently shows the driver has acknowledged and respected the yellow flag.
This decision allows Russell to keep his fourth podium finish of the season, placing him just six points behind Verstappen in the Drivers` Championship standings. Mercedes maintains second place in the Constructors` Championship, currently 36 points clear of Red Bull, although they are 105 points behind leaders McLaren following McLaren`s dominant performance in Miami.
