1996 F1 champion, Damon Hill revealed that he was once in Lewis Hamilton’s shoes back in 1994. The #44 driver inherited the Belgian GP win last weekend, as his teammate — George Russell was disqualified for an underweight car. Incidentally, 30 years ago, at the same venue, Hill was involved in a similar situation with Michael Schumacher.
The 1994 Belgian GP was a crucial race for the championship. And championship rivals, Schumacher and Hill finished the race in first and second, respectively. However, after post-race inspections, the plank on Schumacher’s B194 was adjudged to be thinner than what was prescribed in the regulations. As a result, the German driver was disqualified, and Hill inherited the win.
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Hill answered Tom Clarkson’s questions about whether ‘inheriting’ a win dulls the pleasure. Hill replied, “That’s not the way you want it to happen. You want it to be clean-cut. You want it to be undisputed.”
The former Williams driver put himself in Hamilton‘s position and relayed how he had felt back when he learned about Schumacher’s disqualification. As it turns out, Hill was at the Brussels airport once again when he found out about Russell’s disqualification.
In Hill’s case, he was vying for the Belgian GP win and when he finished second on track, he was naturally dejected. But it was a mixed feeling of surprise and confusion when a Williams crew member told him about Schumacher’s fate. Hill would go on to eventually lose the championship to Schumacher in equally controversial circumstances.
Russell’s disqualification was harsh but fair as per Hill
The former Williams driver explained that such discrepancies with the Technical Regulations cannot be converted into penalties. According to the Briton, the framework of the regulations only dictates disqualification. And there is a pretty good reason behind it, too.
He explained, “The fact is that the cars have to comply with the regulations and if they don’t they have to be disqualified. It’s not like you can be given a ten-second penalty. They can’t judge what the value of irregularity is and apply a penalty like that.”
| George Russell’s car was under the minimum weight after the Belgian Grand Prix.
It’s been referred to the stewards, a disqualification is likely.#F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/RkUkjp21zH
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) July 28, 2024
The post-race events at the 2024 Belgian GP have inducted Russell into an unfortunate list of drivers. The 26-year-old became only the second driver after Schumacher in the last 30 years to be removed from the top step of the podium with a DSQ — with both of them being disqualified at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
