Mercedes admit pit stop error which cost Russell in Lewis Hamilton battle

Mercedes admit that a pit stop error during the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix compromised the luckless George Russell yet again in his battle for victory against Lewis Hamilton.

The 28-year-old Russell had looked all set to get back to winning ways after producing a blistering lap to claim pole position on Saturday.

But he was unable to end a winless drought stretching all the way back to Australia in March as the superior pace and strategy of Hamilton and Ferrari won the day.

Russell has been totally without luck in recent races, with a DNF in Canada and an unfortunate penalty blunder in Monaco allowing team-mate Kimi Antonelli to build a significant lead at the top of the 2026 championship standings.

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Mercedes reveal error which cost Russell

That run of bad luck appeared to continue on Sunday as a virtual safety car caused by Fernando Alonso's DNF presented Hamilton with a cheap pit stop at a crucial moment.

But now we have news of yet more misfortune striking Russell with Mercedes admitting they made a mistake during the British star's final stop.

Deputy team principal Bradley Lord, speaking on the team's regular post-race debrief show, explained: "It was obviously a milestone weekend for George with the team as well. His 100th grand prix with Mercedes.

"On Saturday, his 10th pole position in his career, then also his 26th podium finish for the team on Sunday.

"More importantly though, it was great to see George, after a difficult run of results in the last few grands prix, back at his best, take pole, fighting for the race win. And doing that also notwithstanding the fact that in our final pitstop we actually incorrectly adjusted the front wing owing to a problem with the adjuster gun.

"That meant he was driving with a very very oversteery balance that certainly compromised his pace in the final stages."

Russell vs Antonelli battle cost Mercedes

Lord also admitted that another thrilling on-track battle between team-mates Russell and Antonelli had ultimately cost the team.

"We lost race time with the two drivers fighting each other in that second stint, and then also in the third stint," he said.

"And them obviously with Kimi, we had a reliability failure that cost him any chance of finishing at all."

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