Mercedes hailed George Russell’s “unbelievable” performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix, where the British driver battled a crippled car to secure second place.
The 27-year-old fought through a string of technical failures to hold off McLaren’s Lando Norris and claim a hard-earned podium.
FIA Formula One World Championship 2020, Preseason Testing in Barcelona –
#44 Lewis Hamilton for GBR, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team (Pic – Icon Sport)
Russell’s W16 suffered a transponder failure, making him nearly invisible to race tracking in the final laps. Mercedes revealed that their brake-by-wire system also malfunctioned, forcing Russell to manually adjust settings mid-race.
A faulty steering wheel display and an erratic DRS system added to their woes, with the latter sparking a stewards’ investigation after the rear wing opened illegally.
Citing a 2018 precedent where Red Bull’s Sergio Perez escaped punishment for a similar issue in Baku, and noting Russell’s efforts to avoid gaining an advantage, officials cleared him.
“Brake-by-wire failed suddenly, and it took time to reset,” Mercedes’ Toto Wolff told reporters. “For George to manage that, with Norris breathing down his neck, was an incredible feat. That drive earned us this podium.”
Mercedes also praised Russell’s tyre management, nursing used softs for 25 grueling laps to fend off Norris despite McLaren’s pace advantage. “Balancing defence and attack on those tyres was masterful,” Wolff said.
Wolff drew a vivid analogy to explain the brake issue’s severity: “It’s like driving a road car when power steering cuts out—one corner it’s there, the next it’s gone. George showed real skill.”
The result marked a strong start for Mercedes in a race where their car was “wounded but resilient,” Wolff added.
Fans on X echoed the sentiment, with one post calling Russell’s drive “a masterclass in staying cool under pressure,” while another hailed Mercedes’ recovery from “a nightmare of glitches.”
Formula 1 now heads to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, set for 50 laps around the 6.174-kilometer Jeddah Corniche Circuit on April 20, where Mercedes aim to build on their momentum.
