F1 Chinese Grand Prix: Mercedes used 'world's favourite IT solution' to fix George Russell's car

George Russell in Shanghai — Photo: © IMAGO

Chinese Grand Prix

Mercedes used 'world's favourite IT solution' to fix George Russell's car at Chinese Grand Prix

A surprising solution for the Silver Arrows

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 15 March 2026 23:16

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How did Mercedes stop George Russell's Chinese Grand Prix weekend spiralling into a disaster? A surprisingly simple solution in the high-tech world of F1.

The Brit's race weekend in Shanghai almost came undone on Saturday, after he came to a stop during Q3 and was stuck in first gear.

While Mercedes managed to fix the issue, Russell was only able to set a time fast enough for second and instead, team-mate Kimi Antonelli became F1's youngest polesitter.

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But how exactly did Mercedes fix the issue on Russell's car? Well, it was actually quite simple really. According to chief communications officer at Mercedes Bradley Lord: "It was the world's favourite IT solution. Switch off and switch back on again, didn't work. We did it a second time, it did."

Russell explains Mercedes Chinese GP issue

Speaking after qualifying, Russell revealed the extent of his issues in Q3 and explained: "In Q2 the front wing broke – we were wrapping our heads around that – and then obviously went out in Q3 on track, the car wasn’t restarting, couldn’t change gear.

"I’m happy to be standing here because I started the last lap, had no battery, no tyre temp, no nothing. But the team have done a really great job to get us into this position – it could have been much worse, so very glad and well done to this guy [Antonelli], first pole."

Looking forward to Sunday's race, he added: "We need to take care of the guys in red as well – they were super-fast off the line.

"I’m sure Lewis is going to be pretty dicey at the beginning of the race, but I think for us just to try to keep it clean, have a good race, try and put on a good race for the fans and see what we can do."

Mercedes Shanghai weekend one to remember

Though Russell's momentary problem with his new W17 may have scared some fans into thinking the Brit could face trouble in Sunday's grand prix, the Silver Arrows once again stormed to the front of the pack, taking another one-two.

But it wasn't the championship leader who stood on the top of the podium on Sunday, it was his teenage team-mate Antonelli, who made the Shanghai weekend one to remember for Mercedes.

Antonelli was joined on the podium of his first ever grand prix win by Russell and the man who he replaced at Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, with the affair a rather emotional one for all involved.

F1 Mercedes George Russell Chinese Grand Prix Shanghai International Circuit