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Russell to take pitlane start in US GP after qualifying crash

Mercedes elected to keep working on Russell’s car overnight in bid to revert to old specification amid shortage of new parts

Jonathan Noble
Jonathan Noble
Edited:
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, celebrates on arrival in Parc Ferme

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team, Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, wave to the crowd on the drivers' parade

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
A Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader on the grid for the drivers parade

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Gene Haas, Owner and Founder, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Mattia Binotto, CEO and CTO, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber and Andrea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, arrives at the track

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Franco Colapinto, Williams Racing on the drivers parade

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team, Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team, ahead of the drivers parade

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, wave at the crowds

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, embraces a trackside volunteer ahead of the drivers parade

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari and Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari on the drivers parade

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin F1 Team,

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24, climbs into his car

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Nara Smith and Lucky Blue Smith for Aston Martin Pirelli hot laps

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, Mattia Binotto, CEO and CTO, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, talk in the Paddock

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team and George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team on the drivers parade

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team and Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team on the drivers parade

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Joe Rogan in McLaren garage

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Jenson Button, Sky F1 and Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders visit the Haas F1 Team garage

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Chef Gordon Ramsay ahead of an Aston Martin Pirelli Hot Laps experience

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Golfer Ian Poulter poses in front of the car of Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, on the grid

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, on the grid with an engineer

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, on the grid with his engineer

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, removes his helmet

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, on the grid

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team,

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Mechanics push Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber C44, to his grid slot

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Mechanics push Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, to his grid slot

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Mattia Binotto, CEO and CTO, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, on the grid

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Liam Lawson, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin F1 Team, on the grid

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, the rest of the field a

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, the remainder of the field at the start

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, the rest of the field on the opening lap

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24, runs wide as Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, spins and Franco Colapinto, Williams FW46, Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team VCARB 01 pass

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, battle into turn 1

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, as Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, runs off the circuit

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, spins as Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber C44, runs wide

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524, spins as Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber C44, avoids him

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24, Alex Albon, Williams FW46

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15, retires from the race in the gravel after a spin

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, is given a ride back to the pits after spinning out and retiring from the race

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
The safety car Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, the rest of the field

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, the rest of the field on the opening lap

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Nico Hulkenberg, Haas VF-24, battles with Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Alex Albon, Williams FW46, makes a pit stop

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20 after making a pit stop

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, leaves his pit box after a stop

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, makes a pit stop

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, leaves the pits after a stop

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20, George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, the rest of the field

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, battles with Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, battle into turn 1

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, battles with Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, battle into turn 1

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, battles with Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, battles with Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, celebrates in Parc Ferme

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, celebrates with his teammates in Parc Ferme

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, celebrates with his team in Parc Ferme

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, celebrates with his teammates in Parc Ferme

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, celebrates with his teammates in Parc Ferme

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, congratulate each other in Parc Ferme

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, lifts the trophy in celebration

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 3rd position, on the podium

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 3rd position, lifts his trophy

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, lifts his trophy

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, celebrate on the podium with Champagne

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 3rd position, sprays Champagne on the podium

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, on the podium

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 3rd position, Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, cheer with their champagne bottles on the podium

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 3rd position, on the podium

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, celebrates on the podium with Champagne

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
The Champagne and trophy for Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 3rd position, on the podium

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 1st position, Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 3rd position, in the the post race press conference

2024 United States Grand Prix - Sunday
91

George Russell will start Formula 1's United States Grand Prix from the pitlane as the result of a parc ferme rules breach by Mercedes.

The Briton had crashed out of Q3 at Austin on Saturday, badly damaging his W15 car after hitting the barriers at Turn 19.

The impact destroyed a new upgrade package that Mercedes had brought to this weekend's race, and left it with a dilemma about what to do as there are no spare parts available for the new developments.

Although Lewis Hamilton, who had qualified 19th after a miserable Q1, offered his upgrades to allow Russell to take up his sixth spot on the grid, this was deemed not practical by the team as that would have been too much work across both its cars.

Instead, the team knew that losing the upgrade meant it would likely have to revert Russell to the previous specification of car that had been used up until the Singapore GP.

The one saving grace of this happening in Austin is that it is without automatic penalty because teams are allowed to change specifications on sprint weekends if it is proven that there are no spares available.

George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

However, even just focusing on Russell's car alone, to go back to the previous specification was too much effort to complete under normal parc ferme time limits – so the decision was taken to keep working overnight.

This meant that the normal parc ferme covers that are fitted to cars, to prevent any work taking place when it is in operation, were kept off. This is a breach of the rules and requires the driver to start from the pitlane.

A team statement said: "We had to work on the car overnight during the car's covered period.

"The workload involved in that was due to reverting on specification to what we ran in Singapore."

Russell's pitlane start means Mercedes faces a difficult time in the USA GP, with its drivers well down the order.

Hamilton will start 17th now, thanks to Russell dropping off the grid and RB's Liam Lawson having to start at the back because of an engine change penalty.

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