Defending against a charging Lewis Hamilton with used tires seemed like an impossible task, but George Russell managed it, securing a well-deserved first place in the 2024 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at the 7.004-kilometre Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps last Sunday. However, a few hours later, the British driver was disqualified because his Mercedes W15 car was found to be underweight by 1.5 kg. The cause of this issue likely lies in his very risky strategy of going for a single pit stop and as a result tires worn beyond expectations.
Although these grams may seem almost negligible, nothing is left to chance in the highly competitive world of current Formula 1. According to former strategist Ruth Buscombe’s analysis, the advantage that number 63 had over his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton was precisely due to that lower weight. With approximate calculations based on her experience and not the team’s actual data, the British motorsport engineer and presenter for F1 TV estimated that George Russell lost 0.05 seconds per lap compared to the 0.1 seconds of his rivals. Additionally, 10 kg more on the car amounts to about 0.3 seconds more per lap; therefore, that 1.5 kg would also explain the 0.045-second delta that the Briton had over his compatriot at the finish line.
A first-class honours graduate from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Engineering, Ruth Buscombe began her Formula One career with Scuderia Ferrari in 2012 as a race strategist. In November 2015, the British motorsport engineer transitioned to the Haas F1 Team as their strategy engineer. After leaving Haas in June 2016, she joined Sauber three months later, where she played a key role in helping the team finish ahead of rival Manor Racing in the Constructors’ Championship. By mid-2024, she had become part of the F1 TV line-up, transitioning from her position as a strategy engineer at the Stake F1 Team (formerly Sauber). Ruth Buscombe also serves as an ambassador for Dare to be Different.
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