George Russell avoided a penalty and kept his second-place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix. This decision followed an investigation after the race into his use of the drag reduction system (DRS).
Russell, driving in second place behind winner Oscar Piastri, experienced several electronic problems. These included an issue with the brake-by-wire system and problems with his steering wheel display.
His car also disconnected from the circuit`s automated DRS activation system. This system is in place to prevent drivers from using DRS outside of designated zones or when not close enough to the car ahead.
Aware of the disconnection, Russell`s race engineer instructed him to manually activate DRS if he was within range of the car in front. He was told to use an auxiliary button, which also functions as a backup radio button.
Between Turns 10 and 11, Russell accidentally activated DRS while trying to contact his team via radio. He quickly deactivated it and slowed down to negate any advantage gained.
Stewards noted that the DRS was active for 37 meters on a 700-meter straight. Telemetry data confirmed that while he gained 0.02 seconds, he then lost 0.28 seconds at the next corner to compensate.
The stewards concluded that although a technical breach occurred, no sporting advantage was gained. Therefore, no penalty was issued.
Russell mentioned he was managing multiple issues in the race`s final stages as McLaren`s Lando Norris approached to overtake.
`It was very challenging towards the end,` Russell stated. `I had various car problems.`
`The steering wheel was losing data, and the brake pedal had a failure mode, requiring resets. The brakes were inconsistent. I was relieved to see the checkered flag.`
`I`m unsure about the DRS incident. It was related to the failures we were having.`
`As soon as it opened, I backed off, losing two-tenths of a second.`
`It didn`t repeat. I didn`t press the DRS button; I pressed another button, and it activated. I lost more than I gained; possibly gained nothing as it was open for less than a second.`
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff commended Russell`s performance despite the problems. He emphasized the difficulty of driving with a malfunctioning brake-by-wire system.
`We had a sudden brake-by-wire failure. It took time to reset, but we managed,` Wolff explained.
`Managing the system with Norris behind him was an incredible drive. He secured the podium. His long stint on soft tires, managing and attacking when needed, was also excellent.`
`Driving a car with and without functional brake-by-wire is like driving a road car with and without power steering, switching between corners. His skill was remarkable.`
`He faced brake-by-wire issues, lost GPS and onboard DRS, and the dash display was compromised, potentially losing all settings controls.`
