Russell faces a Singapore penalty and another sanction later

Russell will start from the back of the grid in Singapore on Sunday after his power unit failed at Sepang last week. A second penalty is also due later, although its timing has not been confirmed.

The failure came with five laps remaining, when the Briton was running third. It directly brings the grid penalty for Singapore, while an additional sanction will have to be served at a later race.

Russell said Mercedes had been trying to delay the penalty so it could install an upgraded power unit developed under the FIA programme known as Oportunidades Adicionales de Desarrollo y Mejora (ADUO). The Sepang failure therefore complicates the team’s plans for the seven remaining events.

The reliability setbacks come as KImi Antonelli has become more adept at managing the 2026 cars, while Russell has faced problems at key moments of the year. The Sepang failure thus creates an immediate constraint in Singapore and leaves open the prospect of another penalty later in the season.