George Russell and Mercedes have been issued a formal warning after an unusual incident during qualifying for Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Russell and team-mate Lewis Hamilton made contact along the pit straight at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during the closing stages of Q2.
Hamilton had to take to the grass in the incident, and sustained damage to his front wing endplate, but had already set a time quick enough for Q3.
Russell, meanwhile, was eliminated after Q2 amid session-long struggles with the W14.
Stewards summoned both and handed a formal warning to both Russell and Mercedes.
The panel outlined that Russell “was looking forward and had not checked his mirrors” as he started the hot lap.
Mercedes “did not inform [Russell] of the approach of Car 44 [Hamilton], however, in mitigation, he was reacting to the car in front of him [Car 55 – Carlos Sainz], which had just finished its fast lap.”
“In addition, at the end of his out lap, the driver [Russell] had to slow significantly to avoid impeding Cars 1 [Max Verstappen] and 55.”
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