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Russell Avoids Penalty After DRS Incident at Bahrain Grand Prix
Mercedes driver George Russell has escaped sanction from stewards following an investigation into his use of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) outside of designated zones at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The British racer will retain his second-place finish, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris who completed the podium. Current Formula 1 regulations stipulate that DRS activation is only permitted when a driver is within one second of the car ahead and within specified DRS activation zones on the circuit. However, a technical malfunction caused Russell to contravene this regulation during the Bahrain race.
Technical Problem Leads to DRS Breach
The issue was apparent to broadcasters during the race, and radio communications revealed Russell and his race engineer, Marcus Dudley, working to manage the technical difficulties, which also impacted the driver’s braking system. Despite these challenges, the 27-year-old secured a commendable second-place, finishing behind Oscar Piastri.
Post-Race Investigation
Subsequently, Russell was placed under formal investigation by race stewards. This probe raised the possibility of a five-second penalty being applied post-race, which would have demoted him in the final standings behind Norris and Charles Leclerc.
Stewards’ Decision: No Further Action
Following a thorough examination of the incident, the stewards decided against penalizing the Mercedes pilot. Their official report stated: “The connection between the automated DRS deployment system and the car malfunctioned due to complications with a timing loop supplied by an external entity.”
The report further explained: “Consequently, the FIA authorized manual deployment of the DRS, in accordance with Article 22.1 h). At the time, the driver was also experiencing a brake-by-wire issue and additional electronic problems. He was instructed to utilize an auxiliary button in the cockpit, intended as a backup radio button but also configured for manual DRS activation.”
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Accidental DRS Activation Detailed
The stewards’ report continued, “On the straight between turns 10 and 11, the driver attempted to contact the team via radio using this button but inadvertently triggered the DRS instead. The DRS was engaged for a duration of 37 meters on a straightaway measuring approximately 700 meters.”
“Telemetry data confirmed that while he gained a marginal 0.02 seconds, he then lost 0.28 seconds at the subsequent corner as a countermeasure. Therefore, despite a technical infringement occurring, the Stewards conclude that as no competitive advantage was gained, no penalty will be issued.”
Wolff Welcomes Favorable Verdict
This judgment will be positively received by Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal. His driver currently trails championship leader Norris by just 14 points after a consistently strong beginning to the 2025 season. The McLaren pair are currently seen as leading contenders in the championship fight, with Max Verstappen also in contention, positioned eight points adrift of the lead.