George Russell has been issued a three-place grid penalty for the British Grand Prix for causing a collision with Carlos Sainz during Saturday’s F1 Sprint.
As a result, Russell will start Sunday’s race from 12th place, with Esteban Ocon, Sainz, and Pierre Gasly promoted up one spot each.
As Russell and Sainz battled for position into Turn 6 on the opening lap, Russell locked up and made contact with Sainz, who was forced onto the grass.
The Ferrari driver dropped down to 18th position and recovered to 11th at the end of the 17-lap race.
Sainz vented frustration over the incident, while Russell claimed there was “nothing more I could have done” to prevent an accident.
“Cars 63 and 55 approached turn 6 with Car 63 on the inside, in the middle of the track, and Car 55 on the outside,” read a statement from the stewards.
“Car 63 locked the front brakes briefly and then understeered towards the edge of the track at the exit of the turn and contacted Car 55, which was forced off the circuit and on to the grass. Car 63 is judged at fault for the incident.
“The Stewards note that breaches of the regulations of this sort in a race normally result in time penalties, which are scaled based on normal Grand Prix race lengths.
“Both because of the shorter length of Sprint Qualifying and because it is used to establish the grid for the race, the Stewards feel that grid position penalties, as imposed here, are more appropriate.”
As well as the grid drop, Russell was handed one penalty point on his licence, his seventh over a 12 month period.
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