SEPANG — Mercedes driver George Russell said “You’ve got to laugh” at his misfortune after a late power unit failure cost him a podium finish at the Malaysian Grand Prix as his Formula 1 title hopes drifted further away.
Russell started a lowly seventh on the grid at Sepang but made the correct choice of intermediate tyres on a damp track. A lightning getaway saw him surge to second into Turn 1 behind team-mate Kimi, turning a difficult qualifying into a strong recovery drive before the late retirement ended his podium bid.
Russell labelled the luck as laughable, a reflection of frustration as his championship challenge loses momentum. The failure in Malaysia erased valuable points and left his title bid fading with the season advancing.