Mercedes under investigation over Q2 garage exit incident at Bahrain GP
Mercedes has been summoned after allegedly jumping the gun when sending its cars back out following the red flag
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli have both been summoned by the Bahrain Grand Prix stewards for entering the fast lane of the pitlane before a Q2 restart time was officially declared in Formula 1 qualifying.
The intermediate stage of qualifying was interrupted by Esteban Ocon's crash at Turn 3, which enforced a short hiatus in running to extricate his Haas from the gravel and check the wall for damage.
The FIA then sent out a message on its race control bulletin stating an estimated restart time - although this was not marked as an official time. Mercedes elected to send both drivers out regardless to the end of the pitlane; Nico Hulkenberg was heard to remark that he thought it was "dodgy", as his race engineer Steven Petrik told him to remain in the garage.
The German then joined the Mercedes duo in the fast lane when the start time was officially confirmed.
Both Antonelli and Russell were granted stewards' summons, stating an "alleged breach of Article 12.2.1 i) of the International Sporting Code and noncompliance with Race Director’s Event Note (item 19, document 23) – Entering fast lane in the pit lane before a re-start time was confirmed."
Speaking to Sky, team principal Toto Wolff stated that this was a new rule and that he was not aware of any precedents that would indicate how the team would be punished.
"It's a new rule in that sense, and we're going to see what the stewards said. I would hope that it's not the drivers who were penalised for it," Wolff said.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Photo by: Peter Fox - Getty Images
"It was our mistake that we jumped the gun here, but we'll see what happens."
Russell joined Oscar Piastri on the front row of the Bahrain GP's provisional grid after finding strong pace in Q3, while Antonelli marked his best performance with fourth.
The two Mercedes were separated by Charles Leclerc, who found confidence with Ferrari's new updates to burst into third place for Sunday's grid.
Photos from Bahrain GP - Practice & Qualifying
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
2025 Bahrain Grand Prix - Saturday
Share Or Save This Story
The wide world of strategy options expected in F1's Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Andrea Stella explains recurring Lando Norris straightline speed issue after Bahrain GP qualifying
How drivers waiting in the wings can still make their presence count in F1
Max Verstappen responds to George Russell: "Maybe I should take him to the sauna!"
Why Mercedes' Bahrain GP upgrade is still a "big question mark"
As Mercedes looks to deal F1 2026 knockout blow, will its driver fight reignite?
Ferrari’s Vigna on Vasseur and fake news: “There is only one reality”
The wide world of strategy options expected in F1's Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Max Verstappen responds to George Russell: "Maybe I should take him to the sauna!"
How the FIA plans to differentiate between Rally1 and Rally2 in WRC 2027
The wide world of strategy options expected in F1's Bahrain GP in Malaysia
How drivers waiting in the wings can still make their presence count in F1
What we learned from Friday practice at the 2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia
The hidden F1 performance differentiator nobody is talking about in 2026
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments