George Russell avoids pit accident but not penalty in Abu Dhabi
The FIA penalized not only the Mercedes team, but also driver George Russell, who was dangerously dropped by his mechanics in the pit lane, just in front of Daniel Ricciardo's McLaren. 5-second penalty, no points.
The International Automobile Federation has imposed a 5-second penalty on George Russell, who unfortunately left his pit lane in a dangerous manner after his tire change. The Mercedes team is at fault, and it’s the driver who pays the price.
During his tire change, which took a little longer than expected, Daniel Ricciardo was passing through the pit lane when he saw George Russell’s Mercedes unexpectedly in front of him.
The two drivers narrowly avoided a collision, but the dangerous nature of the maneuver prompts the FIA to penalize Mercedes number 63.
5 seconds of penalty were given to the British driver who had to wait a little during his second pit stop before being able to change his tires. Russell ultimately finishes 5th in the race, after his teammate’s retirement due to a gearbox issue.
