George Russell faces upcoming grid penalty in Las Vegas

Mercedes driver George Russell is expected to receive another grid penalty later this season due to a planned power unit upgrade. The team has strategically decided to delay the installation of the new engine component to a circuit that facilitates overtaking, with the Las Vegas Grand Prix being the primary target.

This decision follows a difficult period for Russell, including a 60-place grid penalty in Singapore and a crash during the Singapore Sprint that depleted Mercedes’ stock of new parts. Due to the damage sustained in Singapore, the team had to rebuild Russell’s car using previously used components, which may have impacted performance.

Mercedes aims to use the upgraded hardware to combat the performance advantage held by Red Bull. The driver noted that while the penalty is inevitable, choosing a track with long straits like Las Vegas provides a better opportunity to recover lost positions compared to tighter, more technical circuits.