Mercedes fined after excusing Russell from media duties

Mercedes was fined 5,000 by the FIA after allowing George Russell to leave the Mexico City Grand Prix circuit without completing required post-race media duties. Russell finished sixth as his teammate Kimi Antonelli secured the Formula One drivers’ championship, becoming the sport’s youngest world champion at age 20, according to team principal Toto Wolff’s account of the race and the reported result. Wolff said Russell was distraught after the title outcome and described the driver’s situation as especially difficult. Russell had gone to congratulate Antonelli after the race before leaving the circuit, Wolff said. Mercedes excused him from the media obligations, and the FIA subsequently fined the team for his absence. Russell started from the front row but lost several places on the opening straight. Wolff said a lack of energy deployment had cost him ground and that the team had let him down. Russell also received a 10-second penalty for a first-lap collision with Isack Hadjar of Red Bull. He finished sixth, while Antonelli came third to clinch the title. Wolff said Mercedes did not yet know what caused the deployment problem. He said the car had been capable of competing...