Russell and Antonelli hit with grid penalties after pit lane blunder in Bahrain

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

SAKHIR, Bahrain – In a surprising turn of events, Mercedes' George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli have each been handed a one-place grid penalty for the Bahrain Grand Prix, altering the lineup just hours after the duo qualified second and fourth, respectively. The penalties elevate Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to second on the grid and move Alpine’s Pierre Gasly to fourth.

The issue arose when Mercedes released both drivers into the fast lane in the pits before the session had officially resumed following a red flag stoppage, a breach of regulations aimed at ensuring safety. The stoppage was triggered by Esteban Ocon’s crash during Q2.

Mercedes attributed the misstep to a misunderstanding of the FIA’s "estimated restart time," assuming it to be the actual restart time. Team principal Toto Wolff expressed his disappointment over the penalty falling on the drivers, stating, "There's no precedent. It's a new rule in that sense, and we're going to see what the stewards say. I would hope that it's not the drivers who are penalised for it. It was our mistake that we jumped the gun."

During a meeting with the stewards, Mercedes engineer Andrew Shovlin defended the team by explaining the incident as a simple misreading of the restart time, arguing that no sporting advantage was gained. However, the stewards countered that the act could potentially offer a sporting edge by allowing a team to execute its strategic plan, which other teams might not have been prepared to do.

Although the stewards acknowledged the breach as an unintentional mistake, they emphasized the necessity of enforcing penalties to deter teams from preemptively releasing cars based on estimated restart times in the future. "A similar breach in different circumstances could entail a more severe sporting penalty," the verdict noted.

Updated Bahrain GP Grid, Top 10:

1. Oscar Piastri, Mercedes

2. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

3. George Russell, Mercedes

4. Pierre Gasly, Alpine

5. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

6. Lando Norris, McLaren

7. Max Verstappen, Red Bull

8. Carlos Sainz, Williams

9. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

10. Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull

The penalties have certainly added a level of intrigue to the upcoming race, as drivers and teams adjust their strategies for an unexpected grid configuration.

Up Next