Russell admits sprint crash error as Mercedes rebuilds damaged car in Singapore
George Russell said his own mistake caused his crash from the lead in the wet Singapore sprint, forcing Mercedes into a major rebuild before the evening grand prix. Toto Wolff defended Russell after the incident, which Russell said may also have affected his qualifying performance.
George Russell said a self-inflicted error caused his exit from Saturday's sprint at the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix. Starting from the front row, the Mercedes driver made a stronger launch than polesitter Max Verstappen on the wet Marina Bay circuit and moved into the lead.
Russell then lost control after running slightly wide and hit the barriers, ending his race. He described it as a very bad day because of his own mistake and said the crash may have hurt his performance later in qualifying.
The accident left Mercedes facing a major repair job on the W17. Team principal Toto Wolff defended Russell, while the factory mechanics carried out an extensive rebuild to prepare the car for the evening grand prix.
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