Schiff questions Mercedes' call to take Russell's engine penalty at tight Singapore street circuit

George Russell will start Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix from near the back of the grid after Mercedes triggered a power unit penalty by fitting the Briton with an additional internal combustion engine beyond his seasonal allocation — a move that analyst Naomi Schiff believes was poorly timed.

The penalty follows Russell’s retirement from the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, where a power unit failure forced him out of the race. With the replacement now fitted, he will drop towards the rear of the field at Marina Bay Street Circuit, one of the narrowest and most overtaking-resistant venues on the Formula 1 calendar.

Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, former W Series driver and analyst Schiff said the choice of race raised immediate questions. “He’s obviously run out of his allocated power units, and that’s why they’re having to take this penalty because he’s adding one to the lot. But I’m kind of surprised that they’re taking it here,” she said.

“I don’t know if they didn’t have a spare engine that’s in the allocation that was suitable. But it feels like there are other races coming up that may have been more suitable. Maybe Austin. It’s not that far away from now. A couple of long straights. It seems like there would have been a better place for him to be able to overtake, but it is what it is.”

Schiff acknowledged the team’s hand may have been forced by parts availability, but added that the timing compounds an already difficult run of form for Russell. “This is what they’ve decided to do, and it’s going to be tough for him, particularly when things haven’t really been going his way.”

The weekend’s format adds a further layer of difficulty. Singapore will feature a sprint race, leaving Russell just one practice session before sprint qualifying on Friday — limiting the team’s opportunity to optimise setup before the main event.

The championship picture makes the setback all the more costly. Russell’s team-mate Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers’ standings with 320 points, with Russell second on 236 — a deficit of 84 points. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton sits third on 214 points.