Britain's George Russell will start from the back of the grid in Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix after receiving a power-unit penalty from Mercedes. The 28-year-old qualified eighth but retired from third place with five laps remaining at the Malaysian Grand Prix last Sunday due to engine failure. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed Russell needed a new power unit, pushing him over the component limit.
Russell's retirement allowed Kimi Antonelli to extend his championship lead to 84 points over his teammate. With six or seven races remaining, Russell's title hopes are effectively over. The penalty is a significant setback given overtaking difficulty in Singapore.
Mercedes had no choice but to fit a new engine as all previous units were broken or too high on mileage. Antonelli previously won the Italian Grand Prix after taking a similar penalty. Extra points are available this weekend as Singapore hosts the sixth and final sprint event.
Russell's penalty applies only to Sunday's main race, not Saturday's sprint. Wolff stated the team is focused on giving Russell the best car to fight back through the field.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing