George Russell has revealed he plans to take another Formula 1 grid penalty at the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November.
The Mercedes driver started from the back of the grid at the Singapore Grand Prix because he needed to fit a new engine that took him beyond his permitted allocation of power unit components for the season.
Russell’s change came after he suffered a heartbreaking PU failure in the closing stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, which left him short on engine parts for the rest of the year.
The 28-year-old Briton was already preparing to take a grid drop when Mercedes deploys its upgraded specification thanks to F1’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities.
Russell finished ninth in Singapore after starting 19th
Although not confirmed, it was expected that Mercedes would introduce its new power unit homologation at the United States Grand Prix for all its cars. That would see Russell hit with back-to-back penalties at consecutive races.
But Russell has indicated that he will take on the new engine three races later at the Las Vegas Grand Prix between 20-22 November.
"It will probably be later in the season now to be honest - maybe Las Vegas. But it will be there at some point," Russell told Sky Sports F1 when asked when he will take on the upgraded power unit element that will trigger a grid penalty.
"Now we have the choice to take it when we wish and we will choose slightly easier tracks [to overtake at].”
Russell’s reliability woes and latest failures have left him trailing Mercedes team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli by 102 points in the world championship.
Russell is 102 points behind Antonelli
With only six rounds scheduled to run, Antonelli could wrap up his maiden world title as soon as the next F1 race in Austin.
For that to happen, the 20-year-old Italian would need to win the United States Grand Prix with Russell finishing ninth or lower, and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton fifth or lower.
Knowing that his title hopes are effectively over, Russell says his goal for the rest of the season is trying to help Mercedes get on top of its problematic upgrade package that debuted n Malaysia.
"The goal right now is to try to improve the car. We were very much the dominant team for this whole season,” Russell said.
"You look at the recent races and Red Bull have been very much best. In Baku, Max [Verstappen] was a similar level to me. We go to Malaysia, a totally different track, and Singapore another different track, and he's dominated the last two weekends.
"Right now, the goal is to try and get on top of these updates."
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for Crash.net around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.