Russell and Antonelli handed grid drop penalty for qualifying infringement

Having secured P2 and P4 on the grid for tomorrow's Bahrain Grand Prix, Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli have been handed one-place grid penalties for sporting infringements.

Following Haas driver Esteban Ocon's heavy crash in the second qualifying segment, Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli were the first to leave their garages to head out on the fast lane.

The FIA noted shorthly afterwards that the German-Anglo outfit sent their drivers before a restart time was confirmed by race control. The stewards confirmed that the incident would be investigated after the qualifying session.

Following a meeting with the stewards, it has emerged that Mercedes sporting director Ron Meadows, who is responsible for sporting matters and for the communication with the FIA, is absent from the Bahrain Grand Prix, and his role is taken by engineering director Andrew Shovlin this weekend.

While Mercedes denied that they could have gained any sporting advantage with the early release, the FIA deemed that it could enable a team "to perform its run plan whereas other teams may not be able to.”

As a result, the stewards deemed that a sporting penalty was appropriate for the offence which will see Russell start from P3 on the grid instead of P2 which promotes Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on the front row. His team-mate Antonelli will also drop a place which promotes Pierre Gasly to fourth.

The FIA’s statement read: “The Stewards heard from the team representative, the Race Director and FIA Single Seater Sporting Director and reviewed video, timing, team radio and in-car video evidence. The drivers were excused from attending.

“The team representative, Mr Shovlin, in evidence stated that he gave the instruction for the cars to be released, in error, having misinterpreted the message posted on page 3 of the Timing Screen, “estimated re-start time” to be a message advising the actual re-start time. He argued that there was no sporting advantage gained in this case as there was sufficient time remaining (11 minutes) for other teams to perform their run plans.

“It was also noted that the team’s Sporting Director, Mr Meadows, was not present at the event and that normally he would be involved in the release process.

“The FIA Single Seater Sporting Director stated that such a move could be a sporting advantage in that it could enable a team to perform its run plan whereas other teams may not be able to.

“The Stewards agree with this view particularly where there are only a few minutes remaining in the session.

“The FIA Sporting Director argued that there needed to be a sporting penalty rather than a team fine, otherwise in future teams would release their cars as soon as the estimated re-start time was published. The Stewards agree with this view.

“Mr Shovlin argued that it was possible to give a non sporting penalty if the Stewards declared that it was not to be taken as a precedent but also stated that if a sporting penalty was to be given, it should be mitigated.

“The Stewards agreed with the view that this breach required a sporting penalty however accept that the breach was unintentional and a genuine mistake by the team for which Mr Shovlin apologised. We decide to impose a one position grid penalty. A similar breach in different circumstances, could entail a more severe sporting penalty, in future.”