The Canadian Grand Prix weekend, from June 13-15, 2025, was a turbulent week for Mercedes F1 star George Russell, who was handed a double penalty by the FIA ​​for minor speeding infringements in the pit lane during a practice session. The punishments, imposed by a revised stewards’ commission following the suspension of Derek Warwick for unauthorised media exposure, underscored the strict enforcement of the FIA’s rules. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen, embroiled in an ongoing rivalry with Russell, commented on their tense overtaking battle during the race, fuelling a saga that has gripped the Formula 1 community.

Russell’s penalties came after two separate speeding violations in the pit lane during Friday’s practice in Montreal. The first violation saw him exceed the speed limit by 0.1 km/h (0.04 mph), followed by a second violation of 0.2 km/h (0.1 mph) later in the session. While these violations were minor, FIA rules are clear: exceeding the speed limit in the pit lane, which is typically set at 80 km/h (50 mph) during practice, results in a fine. Each of Russell’s violations resulted in a €100 fine, for a total of €200, which Mercedes is expected to pay, as is standard practice for such penalties. According to GPFans, pit lane speeding penalties during practice sessions rarely result in sporting penalties, unlike in races where a five-second time penalty is often added. For comparison, Sergio Perez’s excessive speed of 120.6 km/h (75.4 mph) in the pit lane at the 2021 British Grand Prix, more than 50% over the limit, resulted in a €1,000 fine, but no further sporting consequences.

The stewarding committee that handed out these penalties was notably reshuffled after Derek Warwick, a veteran steward and former Formula 1 driver, was suspended on June 13, 2025 for making unauthorized media comments about Max Verstappen’s penalty at the Spanish Grand Prix two weeks earlier. Speaking to betting website Plejmo, Warwick defended the FIA’s decision to give Verstappen a 10-second penalty and three points on his license for a collision with Russell. The FIA, alleging a breach of neutrality, replaced Warwick with Enrique Bernoldi, who conducted the refereeing remotely from Geneva. Warwick apologized and acknowledged that his comments were “ill-considered.” He will resume his duties at the Austrian Grand Prix, according to The Athletic. The reorganization ensured that Russell’s penalties were straightforward, as the violations were clear and required minimal subjective assessment.

At the track, tensions between Russell and Verstappen were heightened during the Canadian Grand Prix following their controversial collision in Spain. During the race on June 15, Russell, who started from pole, and Verstappen, who started from P2, were in a heated fight. Verstappen referred to their incident at the Spanish Grand Prix, in which he was given three penalty points for colliding with Russell at Turn 5 after being ordered to give up a position. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race in Montreal, Verstappen said: “I race hard, I always have. What happened in Spain was a moment of frustration, but I’ve moved on. George is pushing hard too – we’re competitors, not enemies.” His comments followed a heated exchange in Spain, where Russell claimed Verstappen had threatened him in the stewards’ box, a claim Verstappen dismissed on Instagram as “exaggerated”.

Russell, reflecting on the Canadian Grand Prix, acknowledged the pit lane penalties as “sloppy mistakes” but stressed his focus on the race, in which he took a podium finish. “The team is responsible for the penalties and we are here to win, not to dwell on practice mistakes,” he told reporters. The incident reignited debate over the FIA’s penalty system, with some fans on X arguing that Russell’s minor infractions were too much of a blow compared to Verstappen’s more serious collision in Spain, which left him just one point shy of a race ban. Posts such as “Russell gets 0.1km/h fine, but Max crashes into him and slides off?” trended, pointing out alleged inconsistencies.

The FIA’s actions in Canada, from penalizing Russell to suspending Warwick, reflect their commitment to maintaining order in a tense season. Verstappen, who now trails championship leader Oscar Piastri by 49 points, is under pressure to avoid further penalties, with two points set to expire on June 30, 2025, according to ESPN. Russell, meanwhile, continues to cement Mercedes’ resurgence, with his pole position a sign of their lead. As the season progresses, the Verstappen-Russell rivalry, coupled with the FIA’s strict oversight, promises more drama, with the Austrian Grand Prix the next battleground.