George Russell set for FIA penalty as Mercedes issue may have long-term effect

19 April 2023 , 08:44

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George Russell must now make two engines last for another 20 race weekends – or take a penalty (Image: Getty Images)

George Russell could face grid penalties later this season amid suggestions he will take a second power unit just four races into the season.

The British driver was forced to retire on lap 18 from the Australian Grand Prix, stopping on track as his Mercedes engine caught fire. It brought a premature end to what was shaping up to be a very strong weekend for Russell.

He qualified second behind only Max Verstappen. And he got the better of the Dutchman on the first lap and led for the opening stages of the race, until he was hampered by badly-timed red flag. He dropped down to seventh but had made his way back up to fourth before his enforced retirement.

After the race, team principal Toto Wolff expressed his belief that the issue related to a cylinder – but could not fully determine the cause before deeper analysis. German publication Auto Motor und Sport claims that it was a piece of debris lodged in the cylinder which caused the fire.

AMuS also asserts that that Russell's internal combustion engine is beyond repair, meaning he will be in need of a new engine for the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

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Under current FIA regulations, despite the ever-growing race calendar, drivers are still only allowed to take three power units for each campaign, before penalties are incurred. With Russell's premature change, it seems likely it will cause problems later in the season.

An engine failure and car fire ended Russell's race in Melbourne (AP)

Reliability of the Mercedes engine was questioned earlier this season after McLaren star Lando Norris had to take a new ICE following a pneumatic problem in Bahrain – the very first race of the year.

It is still to be determined whether other components such as battery and power electronics are salvageable. If that proves to not be the case, that would be a further concern for Mercedes who could do without another issue on top of their performance struggles.

Mercedes showed promising signs in Australia with Lewis Hamilton finishing on the podium, while Russell might have done so himself had it not been for his engine failure. But penalties looming could set the Brit and the Silver Arrows back later this season.

Anna Malyon