Mercedes reveals dramatic F1 engine problem that hit all cars at Spa

All Mercedes-powered Formula 1 cars suffered from an engine problem at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix, Toto Wolff has revealed.  

Mercedes team principal Wolff’s revelation came after George Russell dramatically fell back into the pack on the Kemmel straight before getting caught up in a race-ending collision with Lewis Hamilton at Les Combes on the opening lap at Spa-Francorchamps. 

Russell was swallowed up on the run to Les Combes as he lacked battery from Eau Rouge due to an unknown glitch with his Mercedes power unit. The Briton immediately slammed the “dangerous” issue following his first-lap elimination. 

“I came out of Turn 1 [and] for whatever reason, I was 30-40% down on my battery and I just got totally swamped up by three cars,” Russell explained. 

But Russell was not the only driver to hit trouble, with all the Mercedes-powered cars facing a similar problem, according to Wolff. 

“All Mercedes engines had a lack of energy out of Turn 1, so it wasn't only George,” Wolff revealed on Sunday in Belgium. 

“It affected him more than Kimi [Antonelli], but also Kimi had that issue to a certain degree. That meant that he [Russell] didn't come out at the end of the straight in P3, but P5.  So he lost his two positions, and then obviously [had] the accident with Lewis.

“It's unfortunate, losing points for him, losing points in the constructors’ championship, and it's like every weekend we have one car that doesn't finish.”

Russell’s Mercedes team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli retained his lead from pole position into La Source, but Red Bull’s Max Verstappen powered past the Italian teenager on the run to Eau Rouge. 

Antonelli re-passed Verstappen seconds later and went on to score his sixth victory from 10 races to extend his lead at the top of the world championship standings. 

"It was crazy. To be fair, I was so confused about what was happening because Max came flying past me before Eau Rouge, and then I passed him back,” Antonelli said. 

"But then I saw Charles almost come alongside me, and I was like: “What the heck is happening?” I had no clue.

"I was just trying to hold the position on track, and I was looking in my mirror the whole time because I just saw so many cars coming. 

“But it was a crazy start. Luckily, we got away cleanly.”

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, whose McLaren cars are powered by Mercedes engines, also shared their frustrations with the behaviour of their power unit across the weekend at Spa.