George Russell to take F1 grid penalty at Brazil GP
George Russell will serve a grid penalty in Brazil this weekend.
George Russell will take a five-place grid penalty at this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix for moving onto a fresh Mercedes engine.
Mercedes has fitted a new internal combustion engine in the 28-year-old Briton’s W17, triggering an automatic five-place grid drop.
A penalty was always expected for Russell following his power unit failure in Malaysia, though when it would be had not been decided.
It marks Russell’s second grid drop in four races after he served a 60-place penalty for wholesale power unit changes in Singapore.
Mercedes and Russell have ultimately decided to take the hit at Interlagos in Brazil this weekend.
"We always had to take a grid penalty at some point between Singapore and the end of the season," Russell explained.
"We felt like this was a good place to take it. Lewis [Hamilton] had a big grid penalty here a number of years ago [in 2021] and did pretty well.
"Five places doesn't seem that bad and we’ll try to come back through.”
Mercedes is yet to debut its new ADUO engine upgrade and it is not guaranteed to be introduced before the end of the 2026 season.
The German manufacturer can wrap up the constructors’ championship in Brazil if it outscores Ferrari by three points or more.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli wrapped up the drivers’ title with a third-place finish at last weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix.
In doing so, Antonelli became F1’s youngest-ever world champion at the age of just 20.
Russell finished sixth at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez as his championship officially ended. He has slipped to fourth in the drivers’ standings with four races remaining.
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