George Russell has revealed that he will serve his engine penalty when Mercedes introduces its upgraded power unit. This decision is aimed at avoiding an unnecessary double penalty, considering the ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) system permitted by F1.
Like his teammate, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Russell will need to take a grid penalty for exceeding his permitted allocation of power unit components before the end of the 2026 F1 season. Both drivers have suffered reliability failures on their W17s this year, causing them to surpass their respective engine quotas. However, a final decision on where Russell will serve his penalty has not yet been made by Mercedes.
Antonelli took his at the Italian Grand Prix, where he charged from 19th on the grid to claim a stunning comeback victory on home soil. Mercedes selected Monza because the team thought it would give Antonelli the best chance of limiting the damage to his title prospects. Antonelli arrived in Italy with a 59-point advantage, but his incredible victory extended his lead over Russell, who finished second, to 66 points with 10 scheduled races remaining this season.
The way in which Antonelli cut through the field prompted many to question why Russell did not also take his penalty at Monza. But Russell explained it would have made “zero sense” for him, given that he would have been hit with a further grid drop down the line when he took on Mercedes’ improved parts it has been granted under F1’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system.
Instead, Russell will take the hit in one go when Mercedes introduces its permitted ADUO engine upgrade. This is expected to come at either the United States or Mexico City grand prix in late October. “We're waiting to take my penalty with the ADUO upgrade,” the 28-year-old Briton said ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. “Otherwise, if I took it there [in Monza], I'd have to take it again. So it made zero sense for me.”
Because Antonelli did not opt for a complete power unit change in Italy, he will be able to take on the fresh ADUO components when they arrive without incurring a penalty. Russell has arrived in Madrid insisting he is not thinking about the title race. “I definitely need some luck and I need some good performances,” Russell said. “It's not really something I'm thinking about because, as I said, right now he's performing better than me. So he deserves to be leading the championship. There's still a long way to go, but he's yet to have a bad weekend in terms of performance. So he's performing exceptionally well. My performances are better, but if I want to win this championship, I'm going to need some luck on the way. But it's not something I'm focused on. I'm focused on driving faster and just finding more performance.”
With this decision, Russell hopes to minimize the impact of the penalty on his championship position. Meanwhile, Mercedes continues to develop their power unit to provide the best performance for both drivers. The title battle is heating up with Antonelli currently leading, but Russell has not given up and will fight until the end of the season.
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