16/06/2025 00:36
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has explained the reasoning behind the outfit launching multiple protests against Canadian Grand Prix winner George Russell. Russell converted pole position into victory ahead of Max Verstappen at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve; however, caused controversy during a late safety car. A collision between both McLaren drivers saw the race finish behind the safety car, allowing Verstappen to get close to his Mercedes rival. Whilst behind the safety car along the main straight, Russell suddenly braked heavily, causing Verstappen to move momentarily into the lead. In addition, the Briton fell beyond 10 lengths behind the safety car. As explained by Horner, it is the two reasons why multiple protests were lodged. "It will obviously come out in the documentation," Horner told select media, including RacingNews365 . "But there's 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 in his mirror for Max. "And then the second one is very clearly the distance that was left behind the safety car that was well in excess, I think it is three times in excess of the permitted distance. "So it's gone to the stewards, it's within our right to, obviously, protest that. So we've lodged the protests with the stewards now, and we'll see what we say." When asked if Verstappen was eager for a protest to be lodged, Horner replied: "Max was talking to you guys (the media), he had no idea. "It's within the competitors right to raise a protest, it's €2000 per protest, and we were surprised that they weren't noted to send to the stewards. "So therefore you have the right as a competitor to do that, and that's what we've chosen to do, which is why Max and the guys are in front of the stewards now."
