Russell Takes Five-Place Penalty in Brazil
Mercedes driver George Russell will start Sunday’s São Paulo Grand Prix five places lower on the starting grid than he qualifies, because his team fitted his car with a fresh engine. It is the second grid penalty for the 28-year-old Briton in four races, and this time Mercedes chose it on purpose. Interlagos, the São Paulo circuit formally named Autódromo José Carlos Pace, hosts the São Paulo Grand Prix 2026 this weekend.
Qualifying, which sets the starting grid, is Saturday, 7 November, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), or 3:00 p.m. in São Paulo, and the race follows Sunday at noon ET (2:00 p.m. São Paulo).
Key Facts
- Who. Mercedes driver George Russell, 28, loses five grid places after a new engine.
- When. Qualifying Saturday, 1:00 p.m. ET; race Sunday, 12:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. São Paulo).
- Standings. Kimi Antonelli has sealed the drivers’ title; Russell is fourth on 250 points.
- How to watch. Apple TV is the only US broadcaster of Formula 1 in 2026.
This story is part of our coverage of the São Paulo Grand Prix 2026. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
Published Friday, 6 November, 10:50 a.m. ET (12:50 p.m. São Paulo) · Source: Formula 1, Mercedes, Apple TV
Why Mercedes Picked Brazil for the Penalty
Formula 1 punishes teams with grid places when a driver uses more engine parts than his season allows. Russell had already served a penalty in Singapore last month, and he always knew another was due before the season ends.
That earlier penalty followed unavoidable changes to his power unit (the engine and its hybrid parts) after it failed one week before the Singapore race.“We felt like this was a good place to take it,” Russell said in an Instagram Stories post shared by Mercedes. “Five places doesn’t seem that bad, and we’ll try and come back through.”
The five places come off wherever he qualifies. A driver who qualifies second, for example, would start seventh.
Hamilton’s 2021 Comeback Is the Template
Russell pointed to Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, who got through a rough Interlagos weekend in 2021. Hamilton was thrown out of sprint qualifying (the short Saturday session that sets the grid for the sprint race) that year for a technical breach, then climbed to fifth in the sprint race.
Because he also took a new engine, Hamilton started the grand prix from 10th place and still won it. Russell is hoping for a smaller version of the same story.
What the Standings Say
Nothing about this penalty threatens the title picture. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes’ 20-year-old Italian driver, has already sealed the drivers’ championship with 380 points after the Mexico City race.
Russell is fourth on 250 points, behind Max Verstappen, the Red Bull driver and four-time champion, on 261 and Hamilton, now at Ferrari, on 259. Verstappen and Hamilton are within reach of him, so every place he loses on Sunday has a cost.
In the teams’ standings, Mercedes leads Ferrari by 126 points, 630 to 504, with four races left including Brazil. That is a comfortable cushion, but the teams’ title is not yet mathematically decided.
What It Means for US Readers
Americans can follow the weekend on Apple TV, the streaming service that is the only US broadcaster of Formula 1 in 2026. Watch the qualifying result at 1:00 p.m. ET on Saturday to see where Russell actually starts once the five places are removed.
The penalty makes Sunday’s noon ET start more interesting. A fast car starting seventh or eighth has to pass more traffic than a fast car starting second.
More weekend coverage: how to stream the São Paulo race on Apple TV, and our report on the six rookies in Friday’s practice.
What Is Not Known
We do not yet know where Russell will qualify, so his final starting place is open. The official grid will confirm the penalty after qualifying.
Mercedes has not said whether Russell faces more engine penalties in the three races after Brazil: Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is George Russell getting a grid penalty in Brazil?
Mercedes fitted a new engine to his car, and Formula 1 punishes extra engine parts with lost grid places. Russell says the team always had to take one more penalty before the season ends.
When can US fans watch the São Paulo Grand Prix?
Qualifying is Saturday, 7 November, at 1:00 p.m. ET, and the race is Sunday, 8 November, at noon ET. Apple TV is the only US broadcaster.
Sources: Formula 1 (formula1.com), Mercedes (the team), Jolpica (an open Formula 1 results database), Apple TV (tv.apple.com).
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error
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