In a dramatic post-race twist at the Miami Grand Prix, George Russell has kept his hard-earned P3 finish after the stewards rejected Red Bull’s protest, leaving Max Verstappen stuck in fourth place. Red Bull had alleged that Russell failed to slow sufficiently under yellow flags, hoping to secure a time penalty that would have elevated Verstappen to the podium.

The controversy stemmed from two Virtual Safety Car (VSC) periods: first, when Ollie Bearman’s Haas broke down, allowing Russell to pit and emerge ahead of Verstappen, and later, when Gabriel Bortoleto’s Sauber stopped on track, Verstappen radioed his team saying, “Check if George lifted, it was yellow.”

Red Bull’s team boss Christian Horner explained before the ruling, “We felt that Russell has done something that is in breach of the regs as they are written, so that’s why we put a protest in today. More than anything, you want clarity.”

However, after reviewing telemetry and video evidence, the stewards ruled that Russell had indeed slowed “considerably slower than the regular racing speed” and rejected Red Bull’s claim, declaring the protest “not founded.”

Reacting to the outcome, George Russell couldn’t resist a jab at Verstappen. Speaking to media, he said with a grin, “Honestly, I’m not sure what Max was watching. Maybe he needs a new pair of glasses because the data is clear. We played it smart, stayed within the rules, and nailed the strategy. It’s racing — sometimes you just have to accept when someone does a better job.”

With the result confirmed, Verstappen remains P4 in Miami and holds just a slim six-point lead over Russell in the Drivers’ Championship. As the battle between Mercedes and Red Bull heats up, all eyes now turn to the next round, where the rivalry promises to be even fiercer.