Bad news for Mercedes drivers as team summoned by the stewards after F1 Las Vegas GP qualifying

Both Mercedes drivers could be in trouble after the Las Vegas Grand Prix qualifying, as the German team has been summoned by the stewards for failing to submit the setup sheets for both cars in time. The FIA Technical Delegate has noted that the sheets for either car were not submitted as of 20:12 PST (track time), ahead of qualifying on Friday.

Amid treacherous conditions in qualifying for the Las Vegas GP, Mercedes' George Russell managed to get onto the second row and qualify in P4 for the main race. His teammate Kimi Antonelli was on the other end of the field, failing to make it out of Q1 and finishing 17th.

The Silver Arrows were summoned by the stewards post-qualifying. The FIA Technical Delegate Jo Bauer reported that the setup sheets for both Car 63 and Car 12 were not submitted in time ahead of the session. He has hence referred this matter to the stewards.

The stewards have now summoned representatives from the team to appear in front of them after qualifying at 21:45 PST for an alleged breach of Article 40.1 of the F1 Sporting Regulations, which deals with the aforementioned breach.

The sporting regulations do not prescribe a single mandatory fixed penalty for breaching Article 40.1 and the possible sanctions are at the stewards’ discretion. These can range from a reprimand or monetary fine to, in more serious cases, a potential grid drop, or disqualification from the session.

As things stand, George Russell would start the race from the second row, and any form of sporting penalty could hinder his chances massively on Saturday. A similar penalty would not matter too much for Kimi Antonelli, who is already down in P17.

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Mercedes' George Russell reports steering wheel issue after Las Vegas GP qualifying

Mercedes man George Russell during the Las Vegas Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Mercedes driver George Russell reported a problem with the steering wheel of Car 63 after his final lap in qualifying ahead of the Las Vegas GP. The 27-year-old claimed that he felt something was broken on his car, hindering his final flying lap in Q3.

After the session ended on Friday, Russell came over the team radio to report the issue, saying:

"I don't know what's happening with this steering, something's broken on the front, f***!"

When asked if he had contact with the wall or another incident, he replied, saying:

"I didn't touch the wall, At first, I thought it was hydraulics, but..."

Russell then also alluded to the lack of grip during the session, explaining that he could not get the tires in the right window amid the wet conditions during qualifying.

The Briton looked set for a better result than P4 until his final lap, where he failed to find the improvement he wanted. He will now start the race alongside Carlos Sainz unless either driver receives a penalty, with both currently under investigation.

Edited by Tushhita Barua