Russell to start from pit lane at the Singapore Grand Prix

F1 Grand Prix, GP Singapore, Marina Bay Street Circuit

Mercedes driver George Russell will start the Singapore Grand Prix in the pit lane after taking a new power unit which exceeded his allocation for the current season.

Russell endured a dismal qualifying session yesterday, suffering a shock exit at the end of the second qualifying session which meant that he was due to start the race in 11th place.

Commenting on the issue, the Brit said that it was related to the brakes: "I was struggling with a brake-related issue, pushing me into the corners.

„The grip felt good, I just couldn’t get around any corners. I kept understeering off, which is such a shame. I don’t think we’d have been any better in Q3, because of that problem,” he concluded.

With the Marina Bay Circuit known to be a circuit on which overtaking is at premium, Mercedes opted to kit Russell out with a new internal combustion engine, turbocharger, motor generator unit – heat (MGU-H), motor generator unit – kinetic (MGU-K), energy store and control electronics.

The FIA issued a document in which it stated that the changes have been made without the approval of the FIA technical delegate. It meant that Mercedes have breached the terms of Article 40.3 of the 2022 Formula One Sporting Regulations, and Russell will be forced to start today’s Singapore Grand Prix from the pit lane rather from the back-of-the-grid that would have been the normal procedure.