George Russell, driver for the Mercedes AMG F1 team, was involved in an incident with Oscar Piastri during the Japanese Grand Prix. Russell had been chasing Piastri for several laps in a battle for seventh place. Piastri was using Fernando Alonso’s DRS to defend his position. In the final stages of the race, Russell attempted a move on the inside of the chicane at turn 16, resulting in slight contact and causing Piastri to cut the corner. Race control reviewed the incident and decided not to penalize Russell. They determined that Russell did not make an aggressive move and had control of his car. They also noted that Russell was entitled to space on the track, as his front axle was ahead of Piastri’s mirrors. Additionally, they assessed Piastri’s reaction and concluded that he safely re-entered the track after cutting the chicane. Both drivers and teams agreed that the incident did not warrant a penalty. As a result, Russell retained his seventh position, which he secured after Piastri made a mistake on the penultimate lap.
