Mercedes explain Russell's start mishap: Rev limiter issue cost him crucial places

George Russell’s promising Hungary Grand Prix turned tragic in the blink of an eye, plummeting from P6 to last place almost immediately. Deputy Team Principal Bradley Lord offered a detailed explanation for this dramatic fall, attributing it to a technical limitation beyond Russell’s control.

Russell started in 6th position but was forced into pit lane starting positions amid team mate Lewis Hamilton's grid penalty. Upon the green lights’ onset, Russell faced an unusual engine RPM spike during his wait revs phase before the race start, causing maximum engine RPM activation and leading to anti-stall engagement.

Why did this happen?

According to Lord, 'As George was doing that [holding his wait revs], the revs hit the rev limiter at the maximum RPM allowed at that point. He then tried to bring it back under control but couldn’t do so with the lights going out when he had just a few percent of throttle demand left.' This resulted in anti-stall engaging, causing him to fall far behind.

Russell's recovery

Despite his adverse start, Russell showed incredible resilience. By picking off cars one by one and managing multiple pit stops effectively, he managed to climb back up the field, finishing 7th – a commendable effort in light of the circumstances.

Critical Virtual Safety Car moment

Lord further revealed that the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) timing affected Russell’s standings. ‘If Isack Hadjar was one lap ahead and the VSC had come out one lap earlier, this could have changed his race position,’ suggesting Hadjar’s timing was critical.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did George Russell start in such an unfavorable position?

Russell started behind due to Kimi Raikkonen's grid penalty, which pushed him into a late starting slot. This led to poor initial positioning for the race.

What exactly caused the rev limiter issue?

The revs peaked when his engine hit the maximum RPM allowed immediately before the green light signal, causing it to anti-stall and resulting in a drop from 6th place to last.

Would the VSC timing have made a difference?

Yes, according to Lord, if Russell had taken advantage of the VSC for an extra pit stop, he may have finished higher up than P7, highlighting how crucial that moment was during his comeback.