Breaking: F1 star’s podium finish under threat as FIA announce late… Read more
George Russell’s impressive second-place finish at the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix could be in jeopardy, following a late-race investigation announced by the FIA. The governing body of Formula 1 has opened a formal inquiry into a possible breach of regulations involving the use of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) during the race, with Russell and a representative from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team summoned to meet with the race stewards.
The FIA’s attention has been drawn to a specific incident where Russell allegedly activated DRS outside of the conditions set by the sporting regulations. DRS is a performance-enhancing feature in F1, allowing drivers to temporarily reduce aerodynamic drag by opening a flap in the car’s rear wing. This gives a significant straight-line speed boost and is particularly valuable when attempting overtakes. However, the use of DRS is tightly controlled — drivers can only deploy it within designated zones on the track, and only when they are within one second of the car in front, as determined by timing sensors.
According to analysis of race footage and onboard telemetry, Russell may have activated DRS when he was outside the allowable one-second window or potentially even outside the official DRS zones. Such an infraction, whether intentional or the result of a system error, is considered a serious breach of Formula 1’s technical and sporting codes.
Sources close to the team report that Russell experienced technical difficulties with the car’s DRS activation system during the race, which could have led to an automatic or unintentional deployment. While this might explain the irregularity, the FIA has made it clear that all breaches, regardless of cause, will be investigated with equal scrutiny. The governing body confirmed the investigation in an official statement, saying: “The driver and team representative are required to report to the Stewards at 20:45, in relation to the incident below,” citing the suspected unauthorized DRS usage.
The implications of the investigation could be significant. If the stewards determine that Russell did use DRS improperly, the penalties could range from a five-second to a ten-second time penalty, depending on the context and severity. Even a five-second penalty would be enough to knock Russell off the podium. In such a scenario, McLaren’s Lando Norris would be promoted to second place, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc would inherit third, pushing Russell down to fourth.
A more severe ruling, while less likely, could see Russell fall even further down the order, potentially behind teammate Lewis Hamilton. Such an outcome would deal a major blow to Mercedes’ efforts to start the 2025 campaign strong, especially in a season where every point in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships could prove critical.
For now, Russell and the Mercedes camp remain in a tense state of limbo, awaiting the stewards’ verdict. Should the investigation clear him of wrongdoing, Russell would retain his hard-earned second place and the 18 points that come with it. However, any time penalty would not only damage his individual standings but also hurt Mercedes in their pursuit of rivals Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren in the early championship battle.
This incident has sparked renewed debate about the complexity and reliability of modern F1 systems, particularly the role of automation in tools like DRS. With such systems becoming increasingly sophisticated — and prone to glitches — the sport may need to revisit how regulatory compliance is monitored and enforced in real-time.
The outcome of the FIA’s ruling is expected shortly, and all eyes are now on the stewards’ decision to see whether Russell’s podium will stand — or if Bahrain’s final results are about to be rewritten.
