Stewards Penalize Mercedes Over Pit Lane Scare

During the third practice session of the Grand Prix, a dangerous incident nearly occurred between Fernando Alonso and George Russell.Alonso was on a flying lap, exiting Turn 14, while Russell was moving slowly and preparing to enter the pit lane. However, he took a wide line, which placed both drivers on a collision course. As a result, both were forced to make sudden corrections to their trajectories in order to avoid an accident.

Following an investigation, it was determined that the Mercedes team had failed to inform their driver about the rapidly approaching car.During the stewards' hearing, the team acknowledged their oversight, admitting they should have warned Russell but did not.

The stewards noted that Turn 14 is effectively a blind corner, and a driver cannot rely solely on their mirrors to detect approaching vehicles.Nevertheless, considering Russell’s reduced speed and the nature of the circuit layout, he was expected to remain further to the right in order to leave room for faster cars.

As a result of the incident, the Mercedes team received a €7,500 fine for failing to issue the appropriate warning, and George Russell was issued an official warning.