Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli faced a setback at the Bahrain Grand Prix after both were handed one-place grid penalties for rule breaches during Saturday’s qualifying session at the Sakhir International Circuit. The penalties, confirmed by the FIA stewards, disrupted an otherwise strong performance for the Silver Arrows, who had secured second and fourth on the provisional grid.
The incident occurred during Q2, following a red flag triggered by a high-speed crash from Haas driver Esteban Ocon. As the session was halted, both Russell and Antonelli exited their garages and lined up at the pit lane exit before race control announced an official restart time—a move that violated Formula 1’s sporting regulations. The FIA deemed this premature departure a breach, as it could potentially disrupt the orderly resumption of the session.
Despite Mercedes arguing that the error was “unintentional and a genuine mistake,” the stewards opted for a sporting penalty over a fine to set a precedent and deter future infractions. “The FIA Sporting Director argued that a sporting penalty was necessary to prevent teams from releasing cars as soon as an estimated restart time is published,” the stewards’ statement read, noting that repeat offenses could lead to harsher consequences.
As a result, Russell, who had delivered a stunning lap to secure second behind pole-sitter Oscar Piastri, dropped to third, handing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc a front-row start. Antonelli, the 18-year-old rookie who impressed with a career-best fourth, slipped to fifth, promoting Alpine’s Pierre Gasly to fourth on the grid.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff expressed disappointment but remained optimistic about the team’s race prospects. “It’s a shame to lose those positions, but George and Kimi showed incredible pace today,” Wolff said. “We’ll focus on the race and aim to fight at the front tomorrow.”
Russell, who was just 0.168 seconds off Piastri’s pole time, called the penalty “frustrating” but acknowledged the team’s mistake. “We got a bit eager to get back out there, and it cost us,” he said. “But the car feels strong, and Bahrain’s a track where you can overtake, so we’re still in the fight.”
Antonelli, in only his fourth Grand Prix, took the penalty in stride. “It’s a learning curve for me, and I’m just happy to be competing up here,” the young Italian said. “We’ll push hard in the race.”
The penalties add intrigue to an already unpredictable Bahrain Grand Prix, with McLaren’s Piastri leading the field and championship leader Lando Norris starting a disappointing sixth after struggling in Q3. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Norris’ closest title rival, will line up seventh, setting the stage for a fierce battle in Sunday’s race.