FIA Penalizes Mercedes Drivers, Dropping Them One Spot on Bahrain GP Grid

The stewards of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) have decided to penalize two drivers from the German Mercedes team—**George Russell** and **Andrea Kimi Antonelli**—by dropping them one position for the upcoming race. This sanction comes after both drivers left the pits and entered the pit lane before the time to resume the Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying session was officially announced, following a crash involving Haas driver **Esteban Ocon** during the second segment. In their ruling, the officials noted that this early exit could have provided a competitive edge for the Mercedes drivers.

It’s worth mentioning that Russell secured the second-fastest time during qualifying, falling short to McLaren’s Australian driver Oscar Piastri. Meanwhile, Andrea Kimi Antonelli achieved a fourth-place result.

Previously, Russell had assessed his chances of competing with Piastri for the win after his strong qualifying position.