As the United States Grand Prix weekend unfolded, the drivers engaged in another round of qualifying action on Saturday to determine the starting order for the sprint race. Drama ensued during the latter stages of SQ1, with George Russell finding himself at the center of controversy after impeding Charles Leclerc.
As Charles Leclerc navigated the penultimate corner at speed, he encountered a slow-moving George Russell in his Mercedes on the exit, disrupting Leclerc’s crucial flying lap. Both drivers managed to progress through the SQ1 stage, but Leclerc was far from content with the situation.
Over the team radio, Leclerc made his stance clear, stating, “And penalty for Mr. Russell. Thank you.”
The race stewards reviewed the incident, considering input from both drivers, team representatives, and various sources of data and evidence, including video footage and timing information. Their verdict confirmed that George Russell had indeed impeded Charles Leclerc, leading to the imposition of a three-place grid penalty on the Mercedes driver.
The stewards’ statement read, “Car 63 entered the last two corners preparing for his flying lap at the end of SQ1 with Car 16 closing in quickly. Whilst the team did inform the driver about the closing car a few seconds in advance, there was no further information directly before Car 63 entered Turn 19 with Car 16 right behind.”
The statement continued, “Car 63 did not move from the racing line in or after Turn 19 and therefore unnecessarily impeded Car 16. The stewards note that irrespective of any information coming from the team, it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that no other cars are unnecessarily impeded.”
As a result of this penalty, George Russell’s starting position for the United States Grand Prix sprint race is adjusted, and he now occupies P11 on the grid.
