George Russell Forced Into Engine Change Before 2026 Hungarian F1 GP

George Russell will use a new engine for the 2026 Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix after Mercedes detected a water leak in his car’s power unit at the end of qualifying.

Russell stopped on track near Turn 1 after completing his final flying lap in Q3. The team instructed him to stop as a precaution after detecting a loss of water pressure.

Mercedes subsequently completed further inspections and decided to replace the internal combustion engine before the race. The change was made to eliminate the risk of further damage following the problem that emerged in the closing stages of qualifying.

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“During George’s final lap in Q3, we detected a loss of water pressure on his car and instructed him to stop as a precaution once he had completed the lap,” a Mercedes spokesperson said.

Russell will not receive a grid penalty because the replacement engine is the fourth of four units permitted during the season without sanction. The new component is also the same specification as the damaged unit.

“Following further inspection, we have elected to change his power unit ahead of tomorrow’s race, moving to his fourth unit of the season and thus within his season allocation,” Mercedes added.

The change allows Russell to retain his starting position for the 2026 Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix. However, Mercedes now enters the race with Russell’s penalty-free engine allocation fully used.