George Russell handed FIA verdict after F1 rookie collision

George Russell has discovered his fate following an incident with Arvid Lindblad at the start of second practice ahead of this weekend's Australian Grand Prix. 

Russell was investigated following the conclusion of second practice after he clipped F1's only rookie this season when trying to leave the Mercedes garage. 

Lindblad was already in the fast lane when Russell tried to push in ahead of the Racing Bulls driver, with contact having been made. 

While minimal, the clash did damage Russell's front wing, resulting in an immediate change. 

Following the investigation, the FIA stewards have decided to award Russell with a reprimand but not a sporting penalty, with the Briton avoiding a grid penalty. 

The stewards' verdict read: "The Stewards heard from the driver of Car 41 (Arvid Lindblad) and the driver of Car 63 (George Russell), the team representatives and reviewed video, team radio and in-car video evidence and determined that Car 41 was in the queue of cars in the fast lane waiting to get out of the pit lane. Car 63 left the garage and was waiting to join the fast lane. 

"Car 63 inched forward, as if to join the fast lane and then stopped slightly ahead of Car 41, with a small portion of Car 63 jutting into the fast lane. This resulted in Car 41 running over that portion of the front wing end plate of Car 63. There was no damage reported to us in relation to Car 41 as a result of the collision. Appendix L Chapter IV of the FIA International Sporting Code read with the Race Director Competition Notes Item 15 gives priority to the cars in the fast lane over those in the working lane. In other words, Car 41 had priority over Car 63. 

"Car 63 would only have been free to blend into the fast lane “if there [was] a suitable gap in a queue of cars in the fast lane” and if it could be done safely and without unnecessarily impeding cars already in the fast lane. It is clear, in this case, that there was no such gap and the collision resulted from Car 63 inching forward and thereby blocking a small portion of the fast lane. 

"Both drivers agreed that the driver of Car 41 would not have been able to see the portion that was blocking the fast lane. In this case, the collision could have been avoided by Car 63 taking appropriate action and we therefore imposed a penalty of a reprimand to the driver of Car 63."