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Photo: Mercedes
Mercedes driver George Russell has been penalized for losing three stages of the grid for the sprint to the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. The decision follows an investigation into an incident involving the British driver and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. , during sprint qualifying.
Having already had a tough weekend, Russell finished eighth in sprint qualifying. The British driver did not have new soft tires for his last attempt, which further complicated his performance. However, it was an incident at SQ1 that raised a red flag for the guards.
The episode occurred on the exit of Turn 19 at Circuit of the Americas, where Russell was preparing for his final attempt. Leclerc had the fastest lap and was forced to take evasive action before the final corner to avoid a collision with the Mercedes driver.
In their conclusion, the commissioners’ report detailed: “Car 63 [Russell] He entered the final two corners preparing for his fastest lap at the end of SQ1 with Car 16 [Leclerc] fast approaching. Although the team informed the driver of the approaching car a few seconds earlier, there was no information directly before car 63 entered turn 19 near car 16. Car 63 didn’t leave the race line until 19th or later, so unnecessarily blocked car 16.
Regardless of the information provided by the team, stewards clearly emphasized that it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that they do not unnecessarily block other cars on the road.
The penalty adds a new layer of drama to an already challenging weekend for George Russell. The penalty could also have tactical implications for Mercedes in the sprint race, affecting its position in the main race of the US Grand Prix. This incident is a stark reminder to all drivers of the importance of situational awareness during qualifying and crucial moments in the race.
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