George Russell may be close to receiving a grid penalty in Formula 1, and David Coulthard believes that Mercedes should anticipate the engine component change already at the race in Monza, this coming weekend. The former driver sees the Italian GP as a more favorable opportunity to serve the penalty.
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Mercedes has already confirmed that Kimi Antonelli will have a penalty for receiving a full power unit outside the allowed set. Russell, in turn, is using his last allowed components in different areas of the power unit, which increases the possibility of a future grid drop.
The Briton has reached the usage limit of his last exhaust, internal combustion engine, turbo, energy storage, and power control electronics. Thus, if he needs new components throughout the season, a penalty will be necessary, unless he manages to complete the rest of the championship without replacements.
For Coulthard, Monza offers a particularly interesting condition to anticipate this scenario. The Italian circuit usually provides more overtaking opportunities and position recovery, while the next stages in Madrid and Baku will be held on street circuits, making a penalty potentially more difficult to manage.
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“Yes, I think you just need to cut the problem at the root when you see it. I don’t know where that expression comes from, but you have to accept the punishment. Monza, as we said, offers more potential,” Coulthard said on the Up to Speed podcast.
The former driver also highlighted Mercedes’ evolution in the use of the power unit, although he pointed out that McLaren has reduced part of that advantage: “They have a good understanding of the use of the power unit. That’s what gave them such a big advantage over other Mercedes teams, like McLaren, Williams, and Alpine, at the start of the year. I think that’s where McLaren has made some of the biggest steps, understanding how to use the power unit, and we will find out very soon who will come out victorious in this battle,” concluded the Scot.
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