George Russell is not expected to receive a grid penalty at the Azerbaijan Formula 1 GP. Mercedes changed the plan and decided to preserve the current components of the British driver’s car to introduce the next evolution of the power unit later on.
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The change in Baku was being treated as a likely scenario, as Russell was approaching the usage limit of his components. The new strategy, however, allows Mercedes to avoid putting an additional unit in the car now, and consequently, not force the driver to start at the back of the grid.
The team’s goal is to extend the lifespan of the set currently used by Russell until the US GP, at the end of October. It is in Austin that Mercedes expects to have an evolution of the internal combustion engine available, allowing the British driver to move directly to the updated version.
Until this update arrives, it is also not expected to be used by Mercedes’ customer teams, including McLaren. The priority has become managing the available components and postponing the change until the most convenient moment.
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The plan only became possible because the parts used by Russell are in conditions to continue in service. The situation is different from that faced by Kimi Antonelli, whose failures throughout the season caused damage that could not be reversed and contributed to the need to resort to a fifth engine, as well as the possibility of a new penalty with the introduction of the ADUO system.
With Russell’s components recoverable and a reserve available, Mercedes gained room to modify its schedule. Thus, instead of compromising the weekend in Azerbaijan with a penalty, the team intends to manage the current mileage and focus the arrival of the new engine at the US GP.
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