George Russell eyes Las Vegas for his second Mercedes engine penalty after recovering to ninth in Singapore
Russell's Sepang engine failure means another grid drop is coming. He says Mercedes will take it at an easier track, likely Las Vegas.
George Russell has another engine penalty to come, and he has named Las Vegas as the likely place to take it. The Mercedes driver started near the back in Singapore after a power unit failure at Sepang. He recovered to ninth on 11 October, but the engine change also means he will need one more unit before the season ends. Russell says Mercedes will take the next grid drop at an easier circuit than Marina Bay. This follows the Singapore grid penalty we reported before the race weekend.
Why a second penalty is unavoidable
Each driver can use four power units in a season, and each unit is meant to last about six races. Russell's engine failed near the end of the race at Sepang, the round held in Malaysia this season in place of Bahrain. The new unit he took for Singapore pushed him over the allocation and brought the grid penalty at Marina Bay.
When he made that change, seven races were left. That is more than one engine is designed to cover, so another fresh unit, and another penalty, will be needed before Abu Dhabi. Russell has denied that the failed engine had been used for too long. He said it was in its sixth race, within the normal life.
Why Las Vegas?
Russell said Mercedes can now choose when to take the penalty, and would use "a slightly easier track than this one." Las Vegas has long straights and plenty of overtaking, so it is a natural place to start from the back. Mercedes had wanted to time the change with an upgraded power unit under the FIA's ADUO system, which helps manufacturers whose engines fall behind on the performance index. The team has not officially confirmed where the penalty will be taken.
Singapore damage limitation
Russell's Singapore weekend went wrong before Sunday. He crashed out of the lead of Saturday's rain-hit sprint. From the back of the grid in the Grand Prix, he climbed to ninth, while Max Verstappen won from Charles Leclerc and team-mate Kimi Antonelli.
Russell also said Mercedes must find more speed, because Red Bull have been the strongest team in recent races.
What it means for the title
Antonelli leads the championship on 340 points, 102 ahead of Russell on 238, with six rounds left. Another back-of-grid start for Russell would make Antonelli's job easier. For the Briton, second place in the standings is also at stake, with Lewis Hamilton nine points behind him in third.
Key takeaways
- Russell expects to take a second engine penalty in 2026 and has named Las Vegas as the likely venue.
- His engine failed at Sepang, which led to his Singapore grid penalty. With seven races left at the time, another change is unavoidable.
- He recovered from near the back to finish ninth in the Singapore Grand Prix.
- Mercedes have not officially confirmed the timing of the next penalty.
- Russell is 102 points behind Antonelli and nine points ahead of Hamilton.
FAQ
How many engines can an F1 driver use in 2026? Four power units per season, each planned to cover about six events. Using more triggers grid penalties.
Will Russell take the penalty in Austin? He has pointed to Las Vegas rather than Austin, saying Mercedes will choose an easier track. The team has not confirmed it, so plans could change.
How did Russell's engine problem start? His power unit failed in the closing laps of the race at Sepang in Malaysia. Replacing it took him over the allocation for Singapore.
Sources: GPblog, RacingNews365, Grande Premio, Free Malaysia Today