Russell and Bottas avoid FIA sanction over high-speed Imola crash

George Russell and Valtteri Bottas have avoided punishment by the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix stewards following their high-speed crash at Imola.

The duo collided on lap 32 as they fought over ninth place, with Bottas appearing to edge over to his right in his Mercedes as Williams' Russell drew alongside.

That forced the Briton's rght-front tyre to touch the grass, sending him spearing into the right-hand side of the Mercedes. The two destroyed cars then careered into the gravel area at Tamburello.

While both drivers blamed each other, with Russell questioning Bottas as to whether he tried to kill them both, the stewards have taken a lenient view.

A stewards' report read: "Car 63 approached car 77 to pass after the front straight a few laps after the restart when DRS had recently been enabled.

"Car 77 maintained his line throughout the incident along the right-hand side of the dry line, leaving at least a full car’s width to the right at all times.

"Car 63 approached with a significant speed advantage. He moved to pass on the right.

"As the cars approached the kink of turn one, the gap between them and the right-hand side of the track decreased. At no time did either car manoeuvre erratically.

"The track appeared to be not especially wet through turn one but at the point of closest approach to the right-hand side of the track, the right-hand side tyres of Car 63 hit an especially damp patch and the car snap yawed, bearing in mind that the car had low downforce in the rear with the DRS open.

"The stewards conclude that the accident was a racing incident considering the conditions and take no further action."

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