Former W Series driver and Sky Sports analyst Naomi Schiff has raised concerns about Mercedes’ decision to impose a power unit penalty on George Russell ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.
Schiff argued that the Marina Bay Street Circuit’s layout makes it particularly difficult for a driver to mount a meaningful recovery from the back of the grid.
Russell will start Sunday’s race from a disadvantaged position after exceeding his allocated internal combustion engine limit, a consequence of his earlier power unit failure in Malaysia’s Bahrain Grand Prix.
Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, Schiff questioned the timing of the penalty.
“He’s exhausted his power unit allocation, so taking this penalty is unavoidable, but I’m surprised they chose to do it here,” Schiff said. “Unless they lacked a suitable backup engine in their allocation, I can’t see a clear rationale. Other upcoming circuits might have been more strategic for a restart.”
“Perhaps Austin would’ve been better—more long straights offer overtaking opportunities. It’s tough for George, especially given recent misfortune.”
The Singapore Grand Prix also features a sprint race, reducing pre-race practice sessions before Friday’s sprint qualifying. This adds further pressure for Russell, who will need to navigate both qualifying formats without sufficient preparation.
Amid the complications, Russell’s championship position has slipped. His teammate, Kimi Antonelli, leads the drivers’ standings with 320 points, while Russell sits third with 236 points, trailing championship leader Antonelli by 84 points and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton by 108 points.
George Russell, Mercedes
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
