Russell misery continues as Mercedes star handed FURTHER penalty

Things have gone from bad to worse for the Mercedes star

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Sunday 22 October 2023 00:34 Updated: 00:55

George Russell has been handed a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage during the US Grand Prix sprint race.

Russell, who started the race with a three-place grid penalty, was hit with another punishment for overtaking Oscar Piastri with all four wheels off the track.

The Mercedes man took to team radio to suggest that he had been run off the road, but the stewards did not agree with his assessment of the situation.

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As pit stops are not mandated during a sprint, Russell had five seconds added to his time at the end of the race, seeing him finish down in P8.

George Russell has found himself on the wrong side of the stewards on multiple occasions this weekend

A three-place grid penalty was imposed for impeding Charles Leclerc in qualifying

Before a five-second penalty was also handed out for his overtake on Oscar Piastri

Why did Russell get a penalty?

The first of Russell's two penalties this weekend came when the Mercedes star impeded Charles Leclerc during qualifying.

The Ferrari star took to team radio to call for the stewards to look into the matter, who then duly obliged with a three-grid demotion for Russell at the start of Saturday's sprint race.

Then during the early stages of the shortened race format, Russell was hit with a further five-second penalty for an illegal overtake of Piastri.

The man from King's Lynn ran out of track as he looked to overtake around the outside of the Australian. And although Piastri did not exactly run the Mercedes man off the road, Russell may well feel hard done by with the decision.