George Russell has confirmed he will take an engine penalty once Mercedes introduces its upgraded Formula 1 power unit. The British driver stressed that the strategy is the most logical move to avoid repeated penalties in the 2026 season.
The decision comes after his Mercedes teammate, Kimi Antonelli, served a penalty at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Antonelli was forced to start from the back of the grid after exceeding his power unit element allocation, but he went on to make history by carving through the field from 19th to take a stunning victory.
Russell revealed that he deliberately delayed his penalty until Mercedes' engine upgrade is ready. According to him, taking the penalty in Monza would have meant serving another when the new components are fitted. “We're waiting to take my penalty with the ADUO upgrade,” Russell said. “Otherwise, if I took it [in Monza], I'd have to take it again. So it made zero sense for me.”
Mercedes is scheduled to introduce the power unit update in late October, at either the Austin or Mexico City round. Despite being widely regarded as having the best power unit, Mercedes is still allowed to upgrade through the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system, which is based on internal combustion engine performance. Meanwhile, Red Bull Ford has been ranked as the top engine and therefore cannot upgrade its powertrain.
For Antonelli, the upcoming penalty will only be a five-place drop per new component instead of ten, as he has already exceeded his allocation. “So we're changing everything now to avoid problems later on,” the Italian explained in Monza. “And, as I said before, this is the best track to do it.”
Interestingly, teams like Ferrari have already introduced two upgrades this season, while Mercedes is allowed just one. Russell therefore expects the pecking order to evolve in a “very interesting” way once the Silver Arrow is finally updated. “I don't think, as a team, we're under threat. And, I think it'll be very interesting when we bring our upgrades,” he added.
With this move, Mercedes appears to be preparing for a crucial phase of the 2026 season, where engine performance and penalty strategy could shape the title fight. Russell and Antonelli will be key to maximizing the new package once it hits the track.
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