28/06/2025 18:26
George Russell has escaped a penalty after an FIA stewards'
investigation at the Austrian Grand Prix. Russell was summoned by
the stewards over an alleged failure to adhere to the race
director's instructions in joining the fast lane when exiting the
garage, after he appeared to barge into line, forcing Charles
Leclerc to jam on the brakes. Russell explained that Leclerc was
caught in his "blind spot" and was confident that no further action
would be taken, something the stewards agreed with, although
Mercedes was handed a reprimand. In their verdict, the stewards
wrote that Russell had tried to enter the fast lane exiting the
garage when other cars were approaching in the fast lane and
therefore had to stop at an angle, preventing the driver from
seeing the other cars approaching in the fast lane. "The driver
tried to radio the team, but in doing so, accidentally slipped the
clutch, causing the car to jump forward. The team representative
admitted the team could have done a better job in managing the
situation." As such, Russell was handed the warning, with Mercedes
receiving the reprimand.