A tense exchange between Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner was captured following a protest lodged by Red Bull against George Russell at the Miami Grand Prix.
The incident unfolded after Sunday’s race, where Red Bull alleged that Russell failed to sufficiently slow down under yellow flag conditions. Despite their formal protest, race stewards reviewed the matter and decided not to pursue further investigation, ultimately dismissing the case.
The fallout, however, did not end there. A photo shared by journalist Adam Cooper showed a visibly heated conversation outside the stewards’ office, with both team principals and key figures from their respective camps engaged in a confrontation.
The image captured Horner, flanked by Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Wache and race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, addressing Wolff and Russell with notable intensity as tensions flared in the paddock.
Russell Holds Onto Podium After Protest Rejected
Despite the controversy, George Russell retained his third-place finish, crossing the line just under two seconds ahead of Max Verstappen. Had the protest resulted in a time penalty for Russell, he would have been demoted to fourth place, promoting Verstappen to the final podium spot.
The result was a blow to Verstappen, who had already endured a tough weekend. After starting the main race from fourth, he also suffered a disappointing sprint result, being classified last. The combination of results has widened the gap in the Drivers’ Championship, with Verstappen now trailing Oscar Piastri by 32 points.
Although the Dutchman secured his third pole position of the season in Miami, he couldn’t match the pace of the McLaren duo on race day, ultimately finishing nearly 40 seconds behind the leading papaya cars.
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