George Russell does not have to fear a grid penalty in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi – The Briton should have been given a different engine after Brazil anyway
George Russell did not see the chequered flag at the last Formula 1 Grand Prix in Brazil. Mercedes took the Briton out of the race after 57 of the 71 laps as a precaution. “We measured pressure and temperature values that were very worrying,” explained Riccardo Musconi, Head of Track Performance
“We were convinced that [the engine] would fail soon,” he reveals, adding: “To avoid a possible fire and damage to other parts of the car, the logical conclusion was to stop the car.” But what does this mean for the upcoming races?
Will Russell need a new engine in Las Vegas, which would result in a grid penalty? Musconi gives the all-clear and explains: “George will drive with different power units in the next two races, as was originally planned.”
“The power unit that was used in Interlagos,” says Musconi, was supposed to have “its last race weekend” there anyway. This means that in Vegas, Russell would have switched back to a different engine that had already been used earlier in the season
Las Vegas for Mercedes ride “into the unknown “
“He will drive with a different power unit in the last two races, so there are no problems from this point of view,” Musconi clarifies. The 2023 season finale will once again take place in Abu Dhabi, preceded by the big Formula 1 premiere in Las Vegas in a week’s time.
Ahead of the new race, Musconi explains: “We tried to gather as much information as possible, and I’m sure every other team tried to do the same. We have models of the track in the simulator, we have collected other information and pictures of the asphalt and so on. “
“The weather will also play a big role. It’s quite cold in Vegas at this time of year, especially for the midnight sessions. We will have the softest tires in Vegas. That adds an extra dimension to the problem,” he emphasizes.
“The truth is that every team is venturing into the unknown to a certain extent because we have no prior data. The preparation work we do in the factory has to cover other dimensions, other aspects and more than we normally do for other tracks,” says Musconi.
At least you don’t have to deal with a grid penalty as well
