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MANAMA: Formula One champions Mercedes were fined € 20,000 on Sunday (December 6) after installing the wrong front tires on George Russell’s lead car at a Sakhir Grand Prix pit stop.
The mistake meant Russell’s understudy, replacing Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time world champion tested positive for COVID-19 in Bahrain, lost position and risked disqualification after the race.
Mercedes mistakenly put reserved tires for teammate Valtteri Bottas on Russell’s car after they both pitted when the safety car was deployed, forcing the Brit to make another stop that left him fifth.
Russell finally finished ninth after a late slow puncture landed another blow just as he had returned to second place and was reeling with Mexican Racing Points winner Sergio Perez.
Mercedes was cited by stewards after the race for the infraction.
The team explained that the fault was a technical radio communications problem, and the message from the pit wall to the pit crew was not heard because Russell had relayed it.
“We knew immediately that when Valtteri didn’t have his tires, we knew that Valtteri’s tires were on George’s car,” said team boss Toto Wolff.
The stewards found extenuating circumstances, with Mercedes rectifying the problem in one lap and losing more time. Russell was allowed to keep the points.
Bottas’ pit stop took 27 seconds as a result of the confusion, with the mechanics removing the tires from his car and then replacing the tires once they realized what had happened, compromising the Finn’s career.
Stewards noted that such a violation had not previously occurred in Formula One.
