Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has branded Red Bull's recent protest as "petty" and "embarrassing" following George Russell's triumph at the Canadian Grand Prix. Russell secured Mercedes' first win of the season, finishing ahead of four-time world champion Max Verstappen. The race concluded under the safety car after Lando Norris collided with his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri on the pit straight with just four laps remaining.

Red Bull lodged a protest against Russell, alleging he drove "erratically" behind the safety car and displayed "unsportsmanlike behavior." However, the stewards dismissed the protest, leading Wolff to express his frustration.

"First of all, it took team Red Bull Racing two hours before they launched the protest, so that was in their doing," Wolff stated during the New York premiere of the F1 movie starring Brad Pitt. "It's so petty and so small. They come up with some weird clauses, what they call clauses. I guess the FIA needs to look at that because it's so far-fetched it was rejected."

Wolff emphasized the importance of fair competition, saying, "You know, you race, you win and you lose on track. That was a fair victory for us, like so many they had in the past. And it's just embarrassing."

Red Bull boss Christian Horner, also present at the movie launch, defended the team's decision to protest, stating, "No, absolutely not. I mean, it's a team's right to do so. We saw something we didn't think was quite right. You have the ability to put it in front of the stewards and so that's what we chose to do. Absolutely no regrets in that."

This incident marks another chapter in the ongoing rivalry between Red Bull and Mercedes this season. Earlier, at the Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen cited "frustration" as the reason for his collision with Russell. The tension between the two teams continues to add drama to the 2023 Formula 1 season.