Red Bull Lodges Complaint Against George Russell Jeopardizing Canadian GP win

Red Bull Racing issued a protest against Mercedes’ George Russell, who won the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The FIA announced the protest through a document, summoning both Russell and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen to the stewards.

According to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, the team’s complaint is due to erratic driving behind the safety car and not leaving an appropriate gap.

“Two protests that we’ve put to the stewards, that we’ve asked them to have a look at. Firstly, relating to the erratic driving behind the safety car, where George very heavily braked, obviously looking looking in his mirror for Max.” Horner said after the race.

“The second one is very clearly the distance that was left behind the safety car that was well in excess – I think at least three times in excess – of the permitted distance. So it’s within our right to obviously protest that. So we’ve lodged the protest.”

1. Christian Horner: “Two protests that we’ve put to the stewards, that we’ve asked them to have a look at. Firstly, relating to the erratic driving behind the safety car, where George very heavily braked, obviously looking looking in his mirror for Max.”

— Adam Cooper (@adamcooperF1) June 15, 2025

At the end of the race, a safety car was sent out due to McLaren driver Lando Norris crashing out of the race, leaving a ton of debris on the track.

Russell was in the lead of the race, though during one of the laps under safety car conditions, he ended up braking, prompting Verstappen to go past him for a split second.

The rules state that there can be no overtaking under the safety car.

Some viewers interpreted the move as an attempt from Russell to get a penalty on Verstappen, braking randomly so the Red Bull goes past and gets an infringement.

Second placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing congratulates Race winner George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of…

Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images

The theory stems from the fact that Verstappen is only one penalty point away from getting a race ban.

Verstappen played down the incident after the race.

“I think we were both trying to say to the safety car to speed up because he was only going 120km/h [75mph] but I think maybe the safety car is doing that to give a bit more time to maybe get a race lap in,” Verstappen told reporters.

“Then I think George was trying to speed up to the safety car, I was trying to do the same.

“Once he tried to speed up the safety car he then backed out and it caused a bit of confusion.”