Five and a half hours. That is how long George Russell had to wait in Montreal before he could actually celebrate.
Imagine winning a Grand Prix, standing on the podium, spraying the champagne, and then being told you might lose it all because of a "brake test" allegation. That was the reality at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix. Red Bull Racing didn't just take the loss on the chin; they went straight to the stewards with a formal protest that turned the paddock into a courtroom.
Honestly, the whole thing felt like a high-stakes chess match played at 200 mph. Or maybe just a playground spat with much more expensive toys.
What Actually Triggered the Red Bull Protest Against Russell?
The drama started on Lap 67. The two McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri—who had been flying all weekend—decided to occupy the same piece of tarmac. Norris hit the wall, the Safety Car came out, and the race was essentially neutralized.
As the pack bunched up behind Bernd Mayländer’s Mercedes Safety Car, things got weird. George Russell was leading. Max Verstappen was glued to his gearbox.
Suddenly, Russell hit the brakes on the back straight between Turns 12 and 13. He wasn't just slowing down; he was trying to keep a gap to the Safety Car while managing his own temperatures. Verstappen, caught off guard, ended up pulling alongside and briefly ahead of the Mercedes.
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The "Unsportsmanlike" Allegation
Red Bull didn't just protest the driving; they went after Russell's character. They claimed he "displayed unsportsmanlike intent."
Why? Because immediately after the incident, Russell hopped on the radio to tell his team that Verstappen had overtaken him under the Safety Car. Red Bull's logic was that George knew exactly what he was doing. They argued he looked in his mirrors, saw Max was close, and "brake-tested" him to force an illegal overtake.
Basically, they accused him of baiting Max into a penalty that would have resulted in a race ban, given that Verstappen was sitting on 11 penalty points at the time. One more point and he'd be watching the next race from the couch.
Breaking Down the FIA Verdict
The stewards didn't just glance at the footage and move on. They dug into the telemetry. Mercedes showed up with receipts, proving that Russell only applied about 30 psi of brake pressure. In F1 terms? That's a tap.
They also pointed out that Max had been doing the exact same thing—braking on straights to keep heat in the tires—on previous Safety Car laps.
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- The 10-Car-Length Rule: Red Bull initially complained that Russell dropped too far back from the Safety Car. They eventually dropped this part of the protest, likely realizing the "double yellow" zones near the pits made the gap inevitable.
- The Mirror Check: Russell admitted he looked in his mirrors. But he told the stewards he did it to make sure he didn't cause a crash. He waited until Max was to his side before applying the brakes.
- Race Control’s Stance: FIA Sporting Director Tim Malyon told the stewards that Race Control had already watched the move live and didn't think it was worth an investigation.
Ultimately, the stewards dismissed the protest. They ruled that Russell's driving wasn't erratic and that reporting an overtake over the radio isn't a crime. It's just... racing.
Why Red Bull Was So Aggressive
You've got to look at the context here. This wasn't just about one race win.
Max Verstappen was under immense pressure. After a collision in Spain two weeks prior, he was one mistake away from a suspension. Red Bull felt like Mercedes was weaponizing the rulebook to take their star driver out of the cockpit.
Christian Horner defended the move, saying it’s a team’s right to protect its interests. Toto Wolff, predictably, called the protest "petty" and "embarrassing."
The tension between these two teams hasn't been this high since 2021. Every little twitch on track is now scrutinized by a team of lawyers and data scientists before the cars even finish their cool-down lap.
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What This Means for Future Safety Car Restarts
The dismissal of the Red Bull protest Russell Canadian GP sets a clear precedent. Drivers are allowed to manage their tire and brake temperatures, even if it looks "erratic" to the guy behind them.
The "10-car-length" rule is also clearly more of a suggestion than a hard limit when safety is involved. The FIA showed they value the driver's intent and the telemetry data over the optics of a brief, accidental overtake.
If you're a fan, the takeaway is simple: the race doesn't end at the checkered flag anymore.
Moving Forward
Keep a close eye on the penalty point tallies for the top drivers. Verstappen survived Montreal, but the target on his back is huge. Teams are clearly looking for any "gamesmanship" they can use to trigger a ban.
If you want to stay ahead of the next controversy, watch the onboard feeds during Safety Car periods. That's where the real "unsportsmanlike" battles are being fought now—not in the corners, but in the mirrors and on the radio waves.
Check the official FIA documents after the next race if there's a delay in results; the "Document 50" or "Document 60" releases usually contain the telemetry secrets that the TV cameras miss.