Russell's engine plan pushes Antonelli's likely title party from Austin to Mexico
Photo: Race Pictures
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George Russell's plan to delay his next engine penalty until Las Vegas makes it less likely that Kimi Antonelli is crowned world champion in Austin. Mexico City, or Sao Paulo the week after, now looks like the more realistic place for the title party. A Mercedes one-two at the United States Grand Prix would actually push it back.
As GPblog reported Russell named an likely venue for next power unit grid penalty, as the Briton expects to take his second engine penalty of the season later in the year and that timing could be crucial.
Austin was originally the penalty venue
Mercedes first planned to give Russell a new unit in Austin, when the team intends to introduce its ADUO-updated power unit. That plan fell apart in Singapore. A power unit failure at the previous round in Malaysia forced an unplanned change, and Russell started from the back at Marina Bay before recovering to ninth. Speaking after the race, he explained what comes next.
It’ll probably be later in the season now, to be honest. Maybe looking at Vegas. Now we’ve got the choice to take it when we wish, and we’ll be choosing a slightly easier track than this one.- George Russell, speaking to Sky Sports
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Why the change hurts Antonelli's Austin chances
The Austin conditions are explained in GPblog's explanation of how Antonelli could become the youngest F1 champion. In short, Antonelli has to win, and Russell can finish no higher than ninth. Ninth is exactly where Russell finished in Singapore after starting at the back. If he had taken his grid drop in Texas as originally planned, a low finish would have been a real possibility.
If Russell starts from his normal grid position in a Mercedes, that scenario becomes much less likely. The most natural result for Mercedes would actually slow things down. If Antonelli wins and Russell finishes second, Antonelli is still 16 points short of the margin he needs to secure the title. That would mean he has to wait at least another week.
Mexico and Brazil are now the realistic venues
If the title stays open after Austin, the next opportunities are Mexico City on November 1 and Sao Paulo on November 8. Las Vegas follows on November 21.
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The gap Antonelli needs gets smaller by 25 points every weekend and 49 more points would guarantee him the title regardless of what Russell does, as long as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen don't heavily outscore him.
This also means Russell's penalty in Las Vegas will probably make no difference to the championship.
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