Mercedes Hit with Grid Penalties Following FIA Ruling Over Bahrain GP Qualifying Error
Mercedes have found themselves in hot water following a procedural error during qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix. The FIA has handed both George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli a one-place grid penalty due to a mishap during Q2 on Saturday, triggered by confusion over red flag procedures.
The incident occurred when a red flag was brought out during the second qualifying session following a significant crash involving Esteban Ocon. The red flag halted the session, and teams awaited instructions on when the session would resume. However, Mercedes released their drivers from the garage based on an “estimated restart time” that appeared on the timing screens — not the officially confirmed restart time from race control.
This misjudgment led the FIA to open a formal investigation into the actions of the Mercedes team, led by Team Principal Toto Wolff. The breach was seen as a violation of race director instructions, which explicitly state that cars must not leave the garage until the official restart time is communicated.
Following the investigation, the FIA stewards reviewed various pieces of evidence, including video footage, team radio communications, timing data, and in-car cameras. Although neither Russell nor Antonelli were required to attend the hearing, the team’s Trackside Engineering Director, Andrew Shovlin, appeared on behalf of Mercedes to explain the situation.
Shovlin admitted that he had mistakenly interpreted the timing screen’s message. He believed the “estimated re-start time” displayed on Page 3 of the system referred to the confirmed time, prompting him to release both drivers early. He clarified that there was no intention of gaining a competitive advantage and pointed out that more than 11 minutes remained in the session after the red flag, giving other teams ample time to execute their run plans.
However, the FIA’s Single Seater Sporting Director took a stricter view. He noted that releasing cars ahead of official instructions could, in certain situations, offer a strategic edge. In this instance, had the remaining time been shorter, early release could have allowed Mercedes to secure a better track position than rivals still waiting for the green light. This, he argued, justified the need for a sporting penalty rather than a simple financial fine.
The stewards concurred with this rationale, stating that permitting such behavior could encourage teams to repeat the mistake deliberately in the future, particularly if the consequence were merely monetary. They agreed that a sporting penalty was necessary to uphold the integrity of the rules and discourage potential exploitation of estimated timing data in similar scenarios.
Shovlin did suggest that if the breach was considered accidental and without advantage, a non-sporting penalty could be issued while clearly stating it should not serve as a precedent. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that if a sporting penalty was the chosen course, it should be treated with leniency due to the nature of the error.
After deliberation, the stewards ruled that the breach was indeed unintentional and stemmed from a genuine misinterpretation of the messaging system. Shovlin apologized on behalf of the team, and it was noted that Ron Meadows, Mercedes’ Sporting Director — who typically oversees such operational calls — was absent from the event, possibly contributing to the error.
In the end, the stewards decided to impose a one-place grid penalty for both Mercedes drivers. This means George Russell, originally set to start in P2, will now begin the race from third position, while Antonelli drops from P4 to P5.
The stewards emphasized that while the error was not malicious, maintaining discipline around restart procedures is critical, especially when red flags are involved. They also made it clear that future incidents, particularly under different circumstances, could lead to more severe penalties.
This penalty reshuffles the front of the Bahrain Grand Prix grid and places additional pressure on Mercedes, who are still adjusting to new dynamics with Antonelli replacing Lewis Hamilton. The team will need to regroup quickly to avoid further procedural missteps, especially as competition heats up in the opening rounds of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
