George Russell held on to his Canadian Grand Prix victory after stewards dismissed Red Bull’s post-race protest, triggering a fiery reaction from Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, who labelled the move “petty” and “embarrassing”. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton revealed he was left “devastated” after running over a groundhog during the race.
Red Bull had accused Russell of erratic driving and unsportsmanlike conduct behind the safety car while leading Max Verstappen. The protest, Red Bull’s second against Russell this season, was thrown out after a five-hour review in Montreal. Russell’s win marks Mercedes’ first of the 2025 campaign, with teammate Kimi Antonelli also securing a podium finish in third.
“They’ve done it in Miami. Now again here,” said Wolff. “One of the protests, they didn’t even follow through. It’s just so far-fetched, it’s embarrassing.” Russell added that even Verstappen was unaware of the protest and called the ordeal “a faff” that disrupted team members’ travel plans.
The day was emotionally charged for Lewis Hamilton as well, who struck a groundhog on Lap 13, damaging his Ferrari and ultimately finishing sixth. “I love animals, and I’m so sad about it. That’s horrible,” said the seven-time world champion, a long-time vegan and animal rights advocate. “I just hope it didn’t suffer.”
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team boss, maintained that his team acted within rights. “We saw something we didn’t think was right. Absolutely no regrets,” he said. Verstappen, who finished second, now trails championship leader Oscar Piastri by 43 points heading into the Austrian Grand Prix.
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