Mercedes driver George Russell was unfortunate enough to have a DNF at the Australian Grand Prix. Initially, the young Mercedes driver was doing pretty well. For a brief moment, George was even leading the race. However, coming to Lap 18, the W14 car suddenly burst into flames. It was the power units of George Russell’s car.
This power unit burst caused the end of Russell’s hope of a podium finish. Anyhow the Australian Grand Prix on the final day saw three red flags stopping the race before it resumed again. Perhaps the first red flag caused George Russell to put too much pressure on the engines while restarting the race. That might have led to the burst of machines. Albeit, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that.
George Russell Likely To Serve Grid Penalty
According to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, the root cause of the damage was a cylinder. Although, a thorough analysis is the need of the hour. As reported by Auto Motor Und Sport, the V6 Internal Combustion Engine, turbocharger, and MGU-H of Russell’s W14 were entirely damaged. Moreover, a lodged piece of debris was found in the cylinder, which caused the fire. However, the German team has not confirmed yet if the batteries and electronics power could be rescued. Anyway, George Russell will have to serve a grid penalty at some point this season, as he is already in need of a new engine.
As per FIA regulations go, a driver can use only three new engines every season. Every driver is entitled to these three engines – the Turbo Charger, the Motor Generator Unit-Heat, and the Motor Generator Unit-Kinetic (TC, MGU-H & MGU-K). However, George Russell will need a new engine after just three Grands Prix of the year. Certainly, at some point, the young Brit will have to pay grid penalty. Needless to say, the W14 car is causing more problems than Mercedes even expected. But George will need a new engine for the next Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Is Mercedes Facing Big Reliability Issue With W14?
The Silver Arrows have been facing reliability issues with their car since last season. The Grand Prix in Baku is going to be a street race, and it is going to be a more challenging circuit to drive than in Melbourne. Hence, Mercedes will need to be extra careful about the car as drivers may face more discomfort than they faced in the first three races of the year. Anyway, last year, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton had a terrible experience in Baku, Azerbaijan Grand Prix. They could have had a better result if it was not for the W13 car.
The porpoising issue in the car caused tremendous bouncing, and after the race, Hamilton had difficulty getting out of the vehicle. Later, he got out with bruises and neck and back pain. The German team would hope that history does not repeat itself. The W14 car has a lot of issues, but they have much less bouncing trouble than its predecessor. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton hope to have better results in Baku with new engines and the W14 car.