George Russell Hit by FIA Deleted Lap Ruling at Austrian Grand Prix

George Russell was one of nine F1 drivers hit by the FIA's deleted lap ruling at the Austrian Grand Prix. The ruling came after Max Verstappen crashed into the wall at Turn 9 during qualifying.

What happened?

The FIA initially waved a single yellow flag after Verstappen's crash, but later switched to double-waved yellows. George Russell lifted and exercised caution, but his in-lap was still deleted.

Why it matters for George Russell

The deleted lap did not affect Russell's pole position, but it did cause confusion among drivers. Kimi Antonelli abandoned his lap, thinking a double-waved yellow had been issued instantly.

What comes next?

The FIA has revealed that all drivers who made it into the top 10, aside from Verstappen, were caught out by the double-waved yellows. Their in-laps were deleted, but the final qualifying order remained unchanged.

The incident occurred on the final day of qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix. Verstappen's crash happened at Turn 9, and the FIA's decision to delete the laps was made shortly after.

The full list of deleted lap times from the 2026 Austrian GP qualifying has been released by the FIA. The list includes the times of all nine drivers who were affected by the ruling.

George Russell's performance at the Austrian Grand Prix was notable, despite the confusion caused by the FIA's ruling. He secured pole position and went on to compete in the main race.

The Austrian Grand Prix took place on a weekend in 2026, with the qualifying session held on the Saturday. The FIA's decision to delete the laps was made on the same day, and the final qualifying order was confirmed shortly after.

The incident has sparked discussion among F1 fans and drivers, with some questioning the FIA's decision to delete the laps. However, the ruling did not affect the overall outcome of the qualifying session, and George Russell remained in pole position.