Mercedes: It’s one setback after another for George Russell—Kimi Antonelli could capitalize on it

Last weekend in Malaysia left a bittersweet taste in the Mercedes pit. The German team is preparing to celebrate the drivers’ and constructors’ double, now within reach, but is on high alert due to the obvious difficulties with its power unit, which let George Russell down again at Sepang.

For the British driver, it was a case of adding insult to injury: following last Sunday’s retirement, he’ll have to change his power unit and will therefore have to start from the back of the grid in Singapore. The British driver will thus be forced to start last on a track where overtaking is extremely difficult, and this could further benefit Kimi Antonelli, who holds an 84-point lead and is getting closer and closer to the title.

But it could get even worse: if Mercedes decides to install an ADUO 2 engine in Austin, Russell would incur another penalty and would have to start from the back of the grid at the U.S. Grand Prix as well. Unless the German team chooses to bring the update forward to Singapore right away, so as to incur two penalties in the same race.

“Bad luck is on my side,” the Englishman lamented. “Now it’s extremely unlikely I’ll be able to make up the ground. I knew that if I wanted to get back into the championship, I’d need a bit of luck. Good performances alone wouldn’t have been enough. But not only was luck not on my side—misfortune was actually haunting me.”