Russell hit hard by PU change: heavy grid penalty confirmed for Singapore

Russell had to retire last weekend from the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia with issues related to his Mercedes power unit. The Briton was on course for valuable championship points but had to pull over a few laps before the finish.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff stated after the race that a power unit problem caused the DNF. According to the Austrian, the failure was not caused by the car having to spend an extended period behind the safety car. At that moment, Mercedes still had to investigate the exact cause.

It has since become clear that the consequences will also be felt during the next race weekend. Mercedes has confirmed that Russell will need a new power unit in Singapore. As a result, he will exceed the number of power unit components allowed per season. This means a heavy grid penalty for the Briton.

For Russell, this is a major setback, as he already trails Kimi Antonelli by 84 points in the title race. Starting position is particularly important at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, since overtaking on the narrow street track is usually difficult. However, the final sector has been modified, offering some hope that the Briton can make up positions.