Mercedes driver George Russell delivered a masterclass in resilience at the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing second despite grappling with multiple technical issues during a chaotic race. The British driver revealed post-race that he experienced “all sorts of failures” with his Mercedes W16, including brake-by-wire malfunctions, telemetry issues, and an accidental DRS activation that put him under scrutiny from the FIA stewards. Despite these challenges, Russell avoided a penalty, cementing his podium finish behind race winner Oscar Piastri.
The Bahrain Grand Prix, the fourth round of the 2025 Formula 1 season, was marked by intense battles, a safety car period, and a flurry of post-race penalties. Russell, starting from the front row, nearly collided with pole-sitter Piastri at Turn 1 but maintained second place for much of the race. However, his Mercedes began to falter mid-race, with the 26-year-old describing a litany of problems that tested his focus.
“It was exceptionally difficult towards the end,” Russell told ESPN. “The steering wheel was losing all my data, the brake pedal went into a failure mode, so I had to do all these resets. One minute the brakes were working properly, the next they weren’t.” He also faced a telemetry issue that left his team unable to track his car’s exact position on the circuit, adding to the complexity of managing his race.
The most critical moment came when Russell accidentally activated his Drag Reduction System (DRS) outside a designated zone, a potential breach of FIA regulations. The incident occurred when he mistakenly pressed the DRS button instead of the radio button while navigating his car’s electronic issues. “I clicked the radio button, and the DRS opened,” Russell explained to Metro News. “I don’t know how it got triggered. There were all sorts of problems going on with the transponder and the signal to the car.”
The FIA investigated the DRS infringement, which could have resulted in a five- or ten-second time penalty, potentially dropping Russell from the podium. However, after reviewing footage and telemetry, the stewards concluded that no sporting advantage was gained. Russell had immediately backed off the throttle after the DRS opened, losing 0.28 seconds at the next corner to offset the 0.02 seconds gained on the straight. “As there was no sporting advantage gained, no penalty is imposed,” the FIA stated, allowing Russell to keep his hard-fought second place.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised Russell’s performance, calling his drive “unbelievable” under the circumstances. “We had a brake-by-wire failure suddenly, and then it took a while to find the settings and still kind of reset it,” Wolff told ESPN. Despite the issues, Russell expertly managed his soft tires to fend off a charging Lando Norris, who finished third for McLaren.
The race itself saw McLaren’s Oscar Piastri dominate from pole, securing his second win of the season and McLaren’s first-ever victory at the Bahrain International Circuit. The event was not without controversy, as Nico Hulkenberg was disqualified for excessive skid block wear on his Kick Sauber, and drivers like Liam Lawson, Jack Doohan, and Carlos Sainz received time penalties for various infractions.