George Russell received a formal reprimand from the FIA stewards for entering the fast lane without a suitable gap during qualifying for the 2025 Austrian GP, narrowly avoiding further sanctions ahead of Sunday’s race.
Russell’s incident happened at the beginning of Q3, when he tried to join the fast lane in the pit exit but had to stop at an awkward angle, creating a huge blind spot with cars rapidly approaching.
The FIA noted that Russell attempted to contact the team for help but slipped the clutch by mistake, causing his car to lurch forward just as other drivers were leaving their garages.
Mercedes later acknowledged that the situation could have been handled better and accepted the warning from race officials.
“I saw a few drivers pulling out, but then you have a massive blind spot,” Russell told reporters. “You can’t get out of a window. You can look through but you can only move your head so much. It’s a massive blind spot.”
He will start the race from fifth on the grid after securing a solid qualifying effort, while rookie team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli lines up ninth.
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Russell was satisfied with his lap, explaining, “That was definitely the maximum we could have got. I think the gap to everyone except Lando [Norris, polesitter] is quite understandable, but Lando obviously did a really amazing job all day today, and that was probably bigger than we thought. But we know our strengths and our weaknesses, and this was never going to be a strong race for us.”
Mercedes Looks to Recover After Strong Canada Result
This qualifying session marked a sharp contrast to Mercedes’ performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, where Russell won and Antonelli scored a debut podium.
Russell admitted that the hot conditions and the circuit layout in Austria made things difficult for the team.
“I think it’s a combination of everything. The track is hot, 50 degrees, the tarmac is pretty abrasive, high-speed corners, and it all goes against us,” Russell said.
“In the same way, Canada went for us. We know where we need to improve. It’s no major surprise. It’s always a tough one to swallow every time you come to a weekend knowing you are not going to be on top form.”
The pit lane moment was not the only drama Russell experienced during qualifying. He almost made contact with both Ferrari cars, including former teammate Lewis Hamilton, during the hectic start to Q3.
Russell reflected on that episode, saying, “I went and then I saw a few drivers pulling out. Then you have a massive blind spot. You can only move your head so much. The mirrors… It’s a massive blind spot. We’ve got to go to the stewards but don’t expect any issues. It’s just part of it.”
Despite the challenges, Russell’s qualifying performance kept him firmly in the top five. After a dominant outing in Montreal, the team’s momentum stalled on a circuit that exposed the limitations of the W16 package in hot weather and on abrasive, high-speed corners.
Russell will be aiming to use race strategy and tire management to his advantage in Sunday’s race. Mercedes will be hoping that cooler conditions or a well-timed safety car can help them challenge the leading teams once again.
