25/05/2025 16:19
George Russell has been handed a drive-through penalty by FIA
stewards for overtaking Alex Albon off-track, on purpose. Russell,
from 14th on the grid spent the entire race tucked up behind Carlos
Sainz's Williams, who was driving slowly to allow team-mate Alex
Albon to complete his two stops mandated by the rules. Russell
started on the hards and was going long, but neither he or
team-mate Kimi Antonelli could pass the stubborn Williams, whom
Russell accused of driving erratically. Eventually, Russell's
frustrations grew to the point he cut across the Nouvelle chicane,
and simply told the team he would accept the five-second penalty
coming. However, the stewards then slapped him with a drive-through
penalty, meaning he needs to make an extra visit through the pits
in addition to the two pit-stops he is yet to make, as of Lap 58 of
78. Once Russell took his drive-through penalty and was given an
update over the radio by Mercedes, the Briton replied: "I prefer
not to speak."
