George Russell is set to take a grid penalty at the Singapore Grand Prix 2026 after Mercedes was forced to bring forward a power unit change. The decision comes after his late retirement from the Bahrain Grand Prix, where he was on course for a podium finish. The engine failure was another major reliability setback for Mercedes this season.Notably, Russell is already 84 points behind team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the drivers’ championship. The upcoming penalty at the Marina Bay Circuit could make his title challenge even more difficult as the season enters its crucial final stages.
George Russell to start from the back in Singapore
George Russell’s engine change was originally expected to happen later in the season. Mercedes had planned to use the FIA’s ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) programme before introducing the updated power unit. However, the damage caused by the failure meant the team had to change its plans.The penalty will apply only to Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix. It will not affect Saturday’s Sprint. That gives Russell another chance to collect valuable championship points before facing the grid drop in the main race.The Singapore Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 8:00 pm local time on Sunday, October 11. Russell will have a difficult task at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Overtaking is generally harder on the narrow street track, making a recovery drive from the back particularly challenging.Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff explained that the team is still investigating its recent problems.“Malaysia was obviously a very difficult weekend for us. We have spent the days since then working hard to understand why our performance was not where it should have been. We have identified several areas we need to investigate further, but F1 doesn’t offer simple answers and we need more evidence before drawing firm conclusions”, said Team Principal Toto Wolff in his preview ahead of Singapore.“Singapore gives us an immediate opportunity to continue that work. The characteristics of the circuit are very different and that will help us build a clearer picture of where we are. George has the added challenge of a power unit penalty, which will mean starting from the back of the grid on Sunday, following the engine failure in Malaysia. That is particularly frustrating given the way he drove last weekend and the result he deserved to be fighting for”, he added.The reliability problems have become a major concern for Mercedes in 2026. Russell also retired from the Canadian Grand Prix after a power unit failure. Antonelli suffered a similar issue in Barcelona.Antonelli previously took an engine penalty at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Mercedes chose that race because overtaking opportunities made recovery easier. Antonelli started 19th but fought back to win the race.Singapore presents a much tougher challenge. However, Russell won at the Marina Bay Circuit last season. That success could give him confidence as he looks to fight back from the rear of the grid.