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Red Bull have lodged multiple protests against George Russell following today’s Canadian Grand Prix.
The details of the protests have not been specified. However Verstappen accused Russell of breaking the rules in two different ways when he followed the Mercedes driver during the Safety Car period at the end of the race.
The exchange began after Russell slowed in front of Verstappen on the back straight, leading the Red Bull driver to briefly overtake him. “Verstappen just overtook me under the Safety Car,” he told his team, adding afterwards: “I don’t know what Verstappen was doing when I was behind the Safety Car.”
However Verstappen accused his rival of deliberately slowing excessively. Moments earlier he reported to race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase the Safety Car was travelling too slowly:
| Lambiase | So just keep on top of the tyres at the moment Max, I’d be surprised if it restarts, so just keep on top of the tyres. |
| Verstappen | After turn 10 The Safety Car is driving really slow, what is he doing? |
| Verstappen | Russell slows and Verstappen briefly passes him before dropping behind again George suddenly just aggressively braked. |
| Lambiase | Understood, thank you. We will check for any erratic driving. |
| Lambiase | We can see that on our data stream as well, Max. Thank you for the info. |
The stewards did not note any incident involving the two drivers. Although Lambiase suggested Russell was trying to catch Verstappen out, the Red Bull driver said afterwards he thought his rival was frustrated by the slow speed of the Safety Car.
“I think we were both trying to say to the Safety Car to speed up because he was only going 120kph,” Verstappen told Sky. “But I think then maybe the Safety Car was doing that to give a bit more time to maybe get a race lap in.
“So I think George was trying to speed up to the Safety Car, I was trying to do the same, and once he tried to speed up the Safety Car he then backed out and caused a bit of confusion.”
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Following that incident, Verstappen complained three times that Russell had fallen more than 10 car lengths behind the Safety Car. Sergio Perez received a five-second time penalty for that infringement at the Singapore Grand Prix in 2023 when he was Verstappen’s team mate:
| Verstappen | Russell accelerates That’s more than 10 car lengths also, there. |
| Lambiase | Okay, we will check that as well, thank you. |
| Lambiase | Yeah, that incident with Russell now being shown on the feeds Max. So, pretty blatant. Just don’t fall for the gamesmanship, okay? Thank you. |
| Lambiase | Safety Car through the pit lane, Max. |
| Verstappen | Russell accelerates Again, more than 10 car lengths, what is he doing? |
| Lambiase | Thank you. |
| Verstappen | Way more than 10, look at this! |
| Lambiase | Yes, thank you Max. We’ll have a look. Cheers mate. |
| Lambiase | Ah, this is final lap, Max. Well done for keeping your head for the moment. |
| Lambiase | Okay Max, so Safety Car is coming in and you will stay out and finish the race on the main straight. |
Red Bull previously protested Russell’s driving after the Miami Grand Prix last month. Their claim was rejected by the stewards.
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