A software “bug” experienced by Mercedes driver George Russell in the Japanese Grand Prix has revealed the true complexity of Formula 1’s new power units.
Russell endured a frustrating afternoon at Suzuka as he finished fourth while Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli celebrated back-to-back victories that saw him replace the more experienced Russell at the top of the world championship.
The 28-year-old Briton’s race was compromised by the timing of a safety car period, before an issue in the electrical system of Russell’s W17 cost him a podium finish as he lost out to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in a late battle.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff revealed the so-called “bug” had left Russell powerless to defend against Leclerc.
“It was a bug in the electric system, in the software, that we thought we were going to give him an advantage by deploying energy,” Wolff explained to Sky Sports F1.
“And what it gave him is a super clip that means it slows the car down. And this is where he unexpectedly lost the position to Leclerc. So we haven’t covered ourselves in glory when it comes to George’s race as well.”
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin expanded on the software bug in the team’s post-race press release.
“Kimi’s fortune was George’s misfortune. Had we stopped George a lap later, he would have retained the lead for the restart,” Shovlin said. “As it happened, he dropped to P3 and lost a further place to Lewis when he hit the harvesting limit too early in the lap and had insufficient battery for the restart.
“He then had another frustrating issue where a bug in the software code, triggered by a button press and a gear shift at the same time, caused the power unit to go into superclip and charge the battery which allowed Charles to pass. He battled back to P4 but it was a frustrating afternoon for George.”
Drivers ‘at the mercy’ of the power unit
World champion Lando Norris was also left frustrated by F1’s new power units, having alarmingly claimed that drivers are not in control of how their engines deploy energy.
“Honestly some of the racing, I didn’t even want to overtake Lewis. It’s just that my battery deploys, I don’t want it to deploy, but I can’t control it,” the McLaren driver said.
“So, I overtake him, and then I have no battery left, so he just flies past. This is not racing, this is yo-yoing. Even though he [Hamilton] says it’s not, it is yo-yoing.
“When you’re just at the mercy of whatever the power unit delivers, the driver should be in control of it at least, and we’re not.”
