The Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team’s weekend at the Marina Bay Street Circuit has officially gone from bad to worse. According to the official FIA ruling, George Russell has been slapped with an additional 20-place grid penalty just hours before the start of the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix.
The penalty was handed down by the race stewards after the FIA Technical Delegate confirmed that Mercedes installed a fourth Energy Store and a fourth Control Electronics Unit in George Russell's W17 during the qualifying session, breaching Articles B8.2.2 and B8.2.3 of the regulations.
George Russell, Mercedes
Because the use of each additional element outside the allowed allocation carries an automatic 10-place grid penalty, the stewards handed down an accumulated drop of 20 positions.
However, this new electrical sanction simply adds to the massive punishment Mercedes was already facing. Following a catastrophic mechanical engine failure at the previous round in Sepang, the team was forced to replace multiple internal combustion components, which initially triggered a 40-place grid drop, bringing George Russell's total penalty to a staggering 60 places.
Source: Motorsport
