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FIA Clarifies Reason Behind George Russell’s No-Penalty Situation at Bahrain Grand Prix

The FIA has provided insights into why George Russell, the Mercedes driver, did not face penalties for a DRS activation error during the recent Bahrain Grand Prix.

During the race, Russell was positioned in second place, trailing behind leader Oscar Piastri, when he began encountering electronic problems with his vehicle. These issues included the loss of the brake-by-wire system and several other malfunctions that distracted him throughout the event.

Additionally, Russell faced complications due to a malfunctioning transponder supplied by a third party, which temporarily dropped him to the bottom of the timing sheets. This also interfered with the functionality of his automatic DRS activation system.

In accordance with standard procedures, the FIA permitted Mercedes to implement a manual override. Russell’s team instructed him to use a secondary radio button that had the dual purpose of communicating with his race engineer and activating the DRS manually. While attempting to reach out to his team, Russell inadvertently engaged the DRS, even though he was not within the one-second threshold behind McLaren’s Piastri, which is a requirement for its use.

Recognizing his mistake and the fact that this action could affect his performance, Russell quickly lifted off the throttle to deactivate the system, consequently losing time. The FIA determined that this immediate correction warranted no penalty, allowing Russell to retain his second-place finish.

The FIA stewards noted, “At the time, the driver was facing a brake-by-wire issue among other electronic malfunctions. He was instructed to use an auxiliary button in the cockpit, which is designed as a backup radio tool but also serves for manual DRS activation.” They elaborated further, stating, “On the straight between Turns 10 and 11, he attempted to contact the team with this button but inadvertently activated the DRS instead. The DRS remained active for only 37 meters on a 700-meter stretch. Although he gained 0.02 seconds from this action, he lost 0.28 seconds at the subsequent corner, as confirmed by telemetry.”

The stewards concluded that, despite a technical rule violation, no sporting advantage was gained, resulting in no penalties being imposed.

This decision echoes a precedent set during the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where drivers Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll, and Kevin Magnussen mistakenly activated their DRS systems due to problems with the detection zones. In that case, all three were exonerated, with Perez ultimately maintaining his podium position.

Source
www.autosport.com