George Russell received a black-and-white flag during second practice for the 2026 United States Grand Prix after an incident involving Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at the Circuit of the Americas. The Mercedes driver was warned by Race Control after Charles Leclerc attempted to overtake him but was forced to take to the run-off area. The incident was subsequently referred to the FIA stewards for investigation.
The intervention was an unusual development during a free practice session, particularly as the circumstances of the encounter were not entirely clear-cut. While Race Control considered the incident serious enough to warrant a warning and further examination, former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports F1 analyst Anthony Davidson questioned whether George Russell had actually forced the Ferrari off the circuit.
George Russell warned after Charles Leclerc runs off track in Austin FP2
The incident occurred as Charles Leclerc attempted to move past George Russell during the second practice session at Austin. The Ferrari driver was unable to complete the manoeuvre without leaving the circuit, taking to the run-off area as the two cars approached one another.
Race Control subsequently displayed a black-and-white flag to George Russell for forcing another driver off the track. Unlike a sporting penalty that directly changes a driver’s result, the black-and-white flag serves as a formal warning concerning driving conduct.
Its appearance during a practice session was particularly noteworthy because the encounter did not take place during the Grand Prix itself. Nevertheless, drivers remain subject to scrutiny over their conduct whenever they are on track, including during free practice.
The matter did not end with the initial warning. Race Control subsequently referred the incident to the FIA stewards, opening the way for a more detailed examination of what happened between the Ferrari and Mercedes drivers.
Anthony Davidson questions whether George Russell forced Charles Leclerc off
Despite the warning, Anthony Davidson offered a different interpretation of the encounter during Sky Sports F1’s coverage. The former Formula 1 driver suggested that the relative performance of the two cars may have contributed to how the incident unfolded.
“I do think it was a difference in power that the two cars had,” Anthony Davidson explained.
He was also unconvinced that the Mercedes driver had deliberately forced Charles Leclerc beyond the track limits.
“I didn’t see it as forcing another driver off the track. It definitely wasn’t intentional. But I’d like to see it again.”
That assessment raises an important distinction between the outcome of the incident and the circumstances that produced it. Charles Leclerc did take to the run-off during his overtaking attempt, but determining whether George Russell’s driving was responsible requires consideration of how the cars approached the situation.
Anthony Davidson’s suggestion of a power difference offers one possible explanation for the encounter, rather than a confirmed technical finding. Without a detailed examination, it would be premature to establish whether the relative speed of the Ferrari and Mercedes was decisive.
FIA stewards to examine Ferrari and Mercedes practice incident
The referral to the stewards means the incident remains subject to further scrutiny beyond the black-and-white flag initially displayed by Race Control. The warning itself should not be confused with a confirmed additional penalty, and the available information does not establish whether any further sanction will follow.
For Ferrari, the incident interrupted Charles Leclerc’s attempt to pass the Mercedes during an important practice session at the Circuit of the Americas. It also created an unusual moment of regulatory attention during preparations for the United States Grand Prix.
The central question for the stewards is whether George Russell’s actions constituted forcing another driver off the track, or whether the encounter developed in a way that does not justify further action. Anthony Davidson’s differing interpretation underlines why the circumstances deserve careful examination before a definitive conclusion is reached.
With the black-and-white flag already issued and the matter referred for investigation, any subsequent FIA decision will establish whether the initial warning is the only consequence of the Austin FP2 incident.
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