George Russell’s race at the Canadian Formula 1 GP ended in the worst possible way. Besides the retirement in Montreal, the Mercedes driver will now have to explain himself to the stewards after an incident that occurred right after leaving the car on the track.
Read more F1: Antonelli shoots to the lead after victory in Montreal
The Briton faced a power unit problem during the race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and had to retire on lap 31. The situation further increased the driver’s frustration, who had been engaged in an intense battle with teammate Kimi Antonelli since the early laps of the race.
Before the failure, Russell and Antonelli staged a direct duel for position for about thirty laps. The two Mercedes drivers were very close at different moments of the race, in one of the most heated battles of the Canadian GP.
After parking the W17 on the side of the track, Russell showed a lot of irritation immediately. Still inside the cockpit, the Briton removed the car’s headrest and threw the piece out of the car, causing it to fall and remain on the track.
Read more F1: Bortoleto regrets not «fighting» for points in Canada
The attitude caught the attention of the FIA stewards for involving a carbon fiber component thrown onto an active track. The initial understanding is that the action represented a safety risk during the race.
As a result, Russell was summoned to provide clarifications about the episode. The stewards will have to assess whether the Mercedes driver’s gesture violated Formula 1 safety procedures after his retirement.
The episode adds to a complicated Sunday for Russell in Canada. Besides not finishing the race, the Briton now risks facing some penalty, depending on the FIA stewards’ analysis of his conduct when leaving the car.
Read more F1: Unusual problem takes Fernando Alonso out of the Canadian GP
