Officials cleared George Russell to keep his second-place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver faced possible punishment after opening his rear wing outside allowed zones. Race stewards decided against penalizing him because he gained no real advantage.
Data showed Russell picked up just 0.02 seconds from using DRS but lost 0.28 seconds when he slowed down at the next corner. This self-correction likely saved him from time penalties. The investigation revealed that Russell activated DRS accidentally when trying to use the team radio, pressing the wrong button during the race.
Technical problems forced Russell to control his DRS manually after the automatic system failed. His car experienced brake troubles throughout the event. Mercedes instructed him to use a backup button that doubles as both radio contact and DRS control, which created confusion.
The ruling maintains the race results, letting Russell hold onto valuable championship points. His strong performance narrows the gap between him and current leader Max Verstappen. The British driver overcame multiple equipment issues during an otherwise successful weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Data showed Russell picked up just 0.02 seconds from using DRS but lost 0.28 seconds when he slowed down at the next corner. This self-correction likely saved him from time penalties. The investigation revealed that Russell activated DRS accidentally when trying to use the team radio, pressing the wrong button during the race.
Technical problems forced Russell to control his DRS manually after the automatic system failed. His car experienced brake troubles throughout the event. Mercedes instructed him to use a backup button that doubles as both radio contact and DRS control, which created confusion.
The ruling maintains the race results, letting Russell hold onto valuable championship points. His strong performance narrows the gap between him and current leader Max Verstappen. The British driver overcame multiple equipment issues during an otherwise successful weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit.
