Mercedes has confirmed that George Russell will start the Singapore Grand Prix from the back of the grid due to an engine change following a late retirement at the Malaysian Grand Prix. This development further diminishes the British driver’s already slim chances of securing his first Formula One World Championship.
Russell suffered a power-unit failure in the closing stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix, leaving him 84 points behind his team-mate Kimi Antonelli with seven races remaining in the season. The latest mechanical issue marks Russell’s third non-scoring round of the year, prompting the 28-year-old to acknowledge that his title hopes are now “exceptionally unlikely.”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confirmed that the new power unit will incur a grid penalty, requiring Russell to start at the rear during Sunday’s race at the Marina Bay Circuit. The penalty, however, will not apply to the Sprint qualifying race scheduled for Saturday.
“Malaysia was obviously a very difficult weekend for us,” Wolff stated on the team’s official website. He noted that the team has been working intensively to diagnose the causes behind the car’s underperformance, although a definitive explanation is still pending. “We have identified several areas we need to investigate further, but F1 doesn’t offer simple answers and we need more evidence before drawing firm conclusions,” Wolff added.
Looking ahead to Singapore, Wolff emphasized the importance of the upcoming race circuit’s distinctive characteristics in helping the team better understand their performance issues. “We will evaluate both the latest update package and our previous specification across the weekend to ensure we fully understand the direction we need to take.”
Despite the setback, Wolff expressed confidence in Russell’s ability to recover, highlighting the team’s commitment to providing him with competitive machinery. “George has the added challenge of a power-unit penalty, which will mean starting from the back of the grid on Sunday, following the engine failure in Malaysia. That is particularly frustrating given the way he drove last weekend and the result he deserved to be fighting for. Unfortunately, these things are part of the sport and our focus now is on giving him the best possible car and opportunities to fight back through the field.”
Russell’s teammate, Kimi Antonelli, who is leading the championship, recently faced a similar penalty at the Italian Grand Prix but managed to secure victory, underscoring Mercedes’ hopes that Russell can stage a comeback despite his grid position.