George Russell has escaped a penalty following an FIA investigation into an incident involving Charles Leclerc during second practice for the 2026 United States Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver came under scrutiny after a manoeuvre at the Circuit of The Americas appeared to force the Ferrari driver beyond the track limits, but the stewards ultimately decided that no further action was required.
The incident attracted the attention of Race Control during FP2, with questions raised about Russell’s positioning as Leclerc attempted to pass. Despite the circumstances of the encounter, the FIA closed the investigation without imposing a sporting sanction on the Mercedes driver.
How the George Russell and Charles Leclerc incident unfolded in Austin FP2
The encounter occurred during the second free practice session at the Circuit of The Americas, where George Russell and Charles Leclerc found themselves close together on track. Onboard footage appeared to show the Mercedes initially slowing before moving towards the outside of the circuit as the Ferrari approached to make a pass.
Leclerc was subsequently forced beyond the track limits, turning the episode into more than a potential case of impeding. The circumstances also raised questions about the amount of space Russell had left for the Ferrari as the two drivers came together on track.
The incident consequently drew the attention of Race Control, prompting an examination of the Mercedes driver’s actions. The central issues concerned the apparent obstruction of Leclerc and the positioning of Russell’s car during the manoeuvre.
The investigation took place during a session in which Ferrari was also demonstrating strong performance. Charles Leclerc went on to set the fastest time in Austin FP2, giving the Maranello team an encouraging result despite the incident involving the Mercedes.
FIA stewards confirm no further action against George Russell
After examining what happened between the two drivers, the FIA stewards concluded that no further action was necessary. George Russell therefore received no penalty for the FP2 encounter, bringing the investigation to an end without sporting consequences.
The decision means that the Mercedes driver will not face a sanction over the incident, despite the footage showing Charles Leclerc being forced off the circuit during the encounter.
Crucially, the absence of a penalty does not alter the sequence of events captured on camera. It establishes that, following their review, the stewards did not consider Russell’s conduct to warrant further action.
What remains unclear about the FIA decision
Although the outcome is definitive, the precise reasoning behind the stewards’ verdict remains unclear. Without a detailed explanation in the official decision document, it is not possible to establish which considerations led the FIA to conclude that a penalty was unnecessary.
The distinction is important because the initial concerns involved both the apparent impeding of Charles Leclerc and the space available to the Ferrari during the attempted pass. The decision closes the case from a sporting perspective without establishing which elements of the encounter were decisive in the stewards’ assessment.
For George Russell, the immediate consequence is that the Austin FP2 investigation has ended without a sanction. Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, finished the session at the top of the timing screens, with the complete United States Grand Prix FP2 classification providing the wider competitive picture from the second practice session.
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