Mercedes star handed FIA verdict ahead of Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Mercedes driver George Russell has escaped a grid penalty for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after being summoned to the stewards over a potential yellow flag infringement during qualifying.

Russell, who qualified fifth for Sunday's race, faced an investigation for failing to slow down in a yellow flag zone, a violation that typically carries a three-place grid penalty.

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However, due to mitigating circumstances, the FIA stewards opted to issue only a driving reprimand.

The incident occurred during Russell’s qualifying lap as he approached Turn 2, where yellow flags were waved to alert drivers of Carlos Sainz's Ferrari, which had run into the runoff area.

FIA statement confirms Russell reprimand

Despite the warning, Russell did not appear to significantly slow down, prompting stewards to investigate whether the Mercedes driver breached regulations.

Normally, a failure to slow under yellow flags results in a grid penalty. However, in this case, the stewards determined that Russell had already committed to the corner when the yellow flags were shown, making it impossible for him to react in time.

The stewards acknowledged the complexities of the situation, explaining that Russell’s visibility of the flags was compromised.

"There was no reasonable way for Russell to have seen that flag and even if he had, he could not have changed his braking," the stewards' report stated.

Once he rounded the corner, Russell resumed accelerating, but stewards noted that the green light indicating the end of the yellow flag zone was located further down the track, making it harder to spot at that moment.

In making their decision, the stewards drew comparisons to a similar incident involving Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc during Friday’s practice session.

Like Russell, Leclerc had faced an investigation but escaped with only a reprimand. The stewards cited this case as part of their reasoning, highlighting additional mitigating factors in Russell’s situation.

"Russell did not get the benefit of the DRS in that zone because it was automatically switched off, slowing his lap," the report noted.

While Russell avoided a serious penalty, the stewards stressed the importance of ensuring all drivers understand their responsibilities under yellow flag conditions.

They recommended that the matter be addressed in the next drivers' meeting to provide clearer guidance on how to handle similar situations in the future.

"Drivers must understand that when they have seen a car in a runoff and a green light indicates the end of the yellow sector, some acknowledgement, such as a lift or limited acceleration, is expected," the stewards explained.

Despite the unique circumstances in Russell’s case, they warned that safety remains the top priority in these scenarios.

Russell will retain his fifth-place starting position for Sunday’s race, but the ruling highlights the fine line drivers walk when navigating incidents on Baku's challenging street circuit.

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