George Russell and Mercedes have traced his recent Formula 1 performance issues to a power unit software calibration problem rather than his driving style. The team found the anomaly in data from the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. A fix has been implemented but requires validation at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.
Russell struggled at Spa, qualifying half a second behind teammate Kimi Antonelli and retiring after contact with Lewis Hamilton. He also ran out of battery on the Kemmel Straight during the race.
The Briton said data revealed numbers on the screen were not calibrated properly. This affected energy deployment across the lap, similar to an issue seen with Oscar Piastri. Russell described the discovery as a huge load off his mind after previously trying to adjust his driving technique.
Mercedes traced the root cause to the power unit management software at its Brixworth facility. The software deployed electrical energy too early in the lap, creating an imbalance later on. The team has applied a correction but will confirm its effectiveness at Monza, as upcoming races at the Hungaroring and Zandvoort lack comparable conditions.
Russell expects to approach the Hungarian Grand Prix with a clearer focus on driving naturally without concerns over straight-line performance.
