Sports
How George Russell finished second in Bahrain Grand Prix with malfunctioning car
As the Bahrain Grand Prix unfolded and George Russell raced in second place, messages slowly came through on his radio that different systems were failing. Team principal Toto Wolff put it simply: “The car was wounded.”
The Mercedes driver suddenly suffered a brake-by-wire failure, and it took time to find the settings to reset the system, Wolff said. He lost the GPS, and he experienced onboard Drag Reduction System (DRS) issues, which led to his race engineer having to tell him over the radio when he could use the system.
The fear arose that the Briton “would lose the whole dash — which would have meant no buttons, no way to turn any of the settings,” Wolff added. All while navigating the final stint on the soft tire for over 20 laps and keeping a surging Lando Norris behind him, not once losing his concentration. But Russell pulled off the feat.
Sunday’s race might have been Russell’s greatest Formula One drive to date, a performance that Wolff described as “an unbelievable drive” to reporters. And while he did face an investigation after the race for an alleged DRS infringement, the stewards found he gained no sporting advantage, meaning Russell kept his second-place finish — a crucial points haul in a season where Mercedes doesn’t expect to be in contention for the championships.
But each millisecond, each point gain, matters when the margins are this thin throughout the grid. As Wolff said to Sky Sports, “I think it’s the driver who saved the result today.”
What happened to Russell’s car?
Russell admitted during the post-race news conference that he was pleased to see the chequered flag. The Briton had essentially driven in the dark (no pun intended, considering the Bahrain GP is a night race).
The Mercedes driver overcame the initial setback of the one-place grid drop from qualifying and passed Charles Leclerc at the start, holding onto second throughout the race. It didn’t come into question until the final stages as Norris navigated around the Ferraris and started closing the gap to Russell, all while Russell experienced a multitude of issues in his car.
All may have seemed well externally, but internally, a series of failures unfolded.
“It felt all under control for a moment, and then suddenly we had a brake-by-wire failure. So suddenly the pedal was going long, and then it was going short,” Russell explained, meaning he needed to push the pedal further or shorter than normal to get braking action.
“I didn’t know what was going on. The steering wheel wasn’t working properly, so it was really hard fought to keep Lando behind. I think one more lap, he would have got me pretty comfortably.”
A brake-by-wire failure essentially is when the electronic system that controls the rear brakes fails. When that malfunctions, the brakes are done manually by the driver rather than going through a system, which can make it harder to control the car under braking. Wolff likened it to when the power steering system fails in a road car, and to “imagine you have to adjust between one corner having it and the next one not having it.”
“That was just very good skill,” he said.
Well said, Boss 😤 The best things in life are never easy! ✊ pic.twitter.com/adOVTbK0H1
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) April 13, 2025
Then there was the GPS issue. Russell suddenly disappeared from the timing screens soon after the safety car period, a clear sign that something was wrong. His transponder stopped working, and not having that GPS data affected how he could use DRS. Without the data, it became harder to judge the gaps — not just from his side in comparison to other cars, but also for those around him, like Norris.
According to Wolff, the DRS beacon failed, which meant Russell needed to open the system manually. He tried “an override on the DRS,” Russell said, adding, “On one lap, I clicked the radio button and the DRS opened, so I straightaway closed it again, backed off — nothing gained.
“I lost more than I gained, it was only open for a split second, so kind of goes to show you the amount of issues we were having.”
The stewards did investigate the alleged DRS infringement, and they stated, “The connection between the automated DRS activation system and the car failed due to issues with a timing loop provided by an external party.” Manual activation was authorized.
“At the time, the driver was experiencing a brake-by-wire issue and other electronic issues,” said the stewards. “He was at that time advised to use an auxiliary button in the cockpit which serves as a backup radio button but also serves as a manual DRS activation button.”
The stewards confirmed what Russell had shared — that when he tried to use the team radio, DRS was “accidentally activated” when navigating one of the straights. According to the stewards, the telemetry confirmed the following: “The DRS was activated for a distance of 37 metres on a straight of approximately 700 metres. Whilst he gained 0.02 seconds, he gave up 0.28 seconds at the next corner to compensate.”
To be clear, that is a breach of the sporting regulations; however, no sporting advantage was gained so no penalty was handed to Russell or Mercedes.
All of this happened while finishing out the race and holding off a McLaren, arguably the fastest car on the grid so far this season, while on soft tires. Russell shared to Sky Sports how he didn’t have data on his steering wheel during the final stint, making it a compromised run.
“I’m not too sure how that one worked as well,” Russell said. “I saw Charles behind me on the hard and I saw 24 laps to go. I thought, ‘Jeez, how the hell are we going to make this work?’ But we did.”
Russell may have been able to pull this drive off, putting him within six points of Max Verstappen in the driver standings, but why these issues arose was unknown to Mercedes immediately post-race.
“We don’t know, probably some wiring looms in the car or anything else,” Wolff said. “Maybe it was triggered by the failure in the F1 system, and then it caused our system to go a bit bananas.”
Russell limped home with a second-place finish (Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
What does the result mean for Mercedes’ season?
McLaren may be dominating this season, with Oscar Piastri pocketing a second win and Norris having one of his own, but Mercedes has been consistently at the front, with Russell sometimes being the closest challenger, like on Sunday.
Across four races — all different types of tracks — Russell has secured three podium finishes, bringing home third in Australia and China. That type of performance is enough to build confidence within a team, particularly after the difficult stretch Mercedes has experienced with trying to find consistency in the current regulations.
“This was the real sort of test for us. We knew that our car likes the cold conditions, and the competitiveness we showed in China and Suzuka was no major surprise,” Russell said. “But this was going to be the question mark — here in Bahrain. And we’ve had another strong weekend. So it bodes well for the season.”
The Briton said Mercedes didn’t anticipate being close to McLaren in Bahrain, at a track where many expected the Woking-based team would thrive. But then Russell qualified second and teammate Kimi Antonelli fourth, before the one-place grid drops, and Russell said, “Qualifying on the front row was a real surprise.
“And then seeing Lando right up there on lap one behind me, I thought, ‘He’s going to fly off into the distance here.’ Oscar did an amazing job to control the race, but to keep Lando at bay, I was really, really pleased about.”
Mercedes sits 58 points off McLaren in the constructor standings, thanks to Russell’s podium finish. When asked if McLaren was catchable, Wolff shared that he felt the team was missing “a few tenths” on Sunday and wanted to see how future tracks unfolded. He pointed toward how the tide turned last season, with McLaren having a big momentum swing several races after finishing sixth and eighth in Bahrain.
But when Russell was asked if the Silver Arrows were title contenders, he cautioned against the suggestion.
“I’d love to say so, but I don’t think we are, to be honest. McLaren are just too dominant right now. I think this is probably going to be their peak performance — what we saw this week in Bahrain,” the 27-year-old explained. “And what we saw in China and Suzuka is probably their worst-case scenario and they still obviously got one victory from those two races.”
Russell added about the importance of capitalizing on moments and picking up points when possible, like they did in Australia and Bahrain.
When the battles are this close, being in the right place at the right time is crucial. We’ve seen that with Mercedes, as well as the battles in the midfield, so far this season.
“I don’t expect this to continue for many races to come,” Russell said, “but who knows.”
Additional reporting: Luke Smith
(Top photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Sports
Tomas Hertl scores game-winner as Golden Knights rally to beat Hurricanes in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final
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The Vegas Golden Knights have taken Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, erasing the Carolina Hurricanes’ early 2-0 lead to win a thrilling 5-4 game in Raleigh and set the tone for this best-of-seven series.
It’s a seven-game win streak for Vegas now, as they haven’t lost since Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Anaheim Ducks. They surprisingly swept the Colorado Avalanche to win the West, and they kept that momentum going on the road.
Tomas Hertl was the hero for the Golden Knights in Game 1, as he scored the game-winning goal on a snipe with 3:25 left in the third period.
Tomas Hertl of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates a goal during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game One of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 2, 2026. (Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)
But it wasn’t easy for Vegas in the first period when the Hurricanes were quick to assert their home-ice advantage just 25 seconds into the game.
It was the first shot on goal for either side when Nikolaj Ehlers poked a puck past an aggressive Shea Theodore for Vegas, and he sprinted down ice toward Carter Hart, who mans the Golden Knights’ net. Ehlers, though, had the perfect shot, ringing the post and sending the Hurricanes faithful into a frenzy with the 1-0 lead before some could even get to their seats.
DESPITE POTENTIAL RATINGS NIGHTMARE FOR NHL, VEGAS-CAROLINA STANLEY CUP FINAL STILL HAS PLENTY OF INTRIGUE
Then, midway through the period, Ehlers found himself in yet another breakaway scenario, and he didn’t squander the opportunity to take advantage. He put a nifty move on Hart, and his backhand found the net to make it 2-0.
Jalen Chatfield also had his eye down ice, recognizing that Ehlers was uncovered and quickly turned Jack Eichel’s turnover into the opportunity.
But if there’s anything the Golden Knights have proved in these Stanley Cup Playoffs, it’s to never count them out. Another example of that was seen on Tuesday night.
Theodore made up for his mishap to start the game with an absolute rocket off his stick on a one-timer that saw its way through traffic and past Frederik Anderson in net to get Vegas on the board shortly after Ehlers’ second goal.
Then, as the second period got underway, it was Ivan Barbashev who decided to return the favor of scoring in 30 seconds or less. As Vegas entered the offensive zone with speed, the puck found Jack Eichel’s stick. He quickly spotted Ivan Barbashev cutting through the slot, and Barbashev fired a shot over Frederik Andersen’s right shoulder before the goalie could react.
Nikolaj Ehlers of the Carolina Hurricanes scores his second goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period in Game One of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., on June 2, 2026. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
With that, the Golden Knights tied this game up, but they didn’t let the momentum go. William Karlsson, who already has a cup under his belt for Vegas, did his part in seeking the next trophy. Mitch Marner had a tremendous backhand pass from behind the net that found Karlsson’s stick all alone out in front, and Anderson had no chance as Vegas took a 3-2 lead.
At that moment, the air in the Lenovo Center was taken right out of the fans’ sails, but a trusty veteran restored that later in the period. Jordan Staal, who watched his brother and 2006 Stanley Cup champion with the Hurricanes, Eric Staal, get the crowd going with the siren at puck drop, potted his third goal of these playoffs.
Jordan Staal snapped a wrister past Hart thanks to a heads-up play by K’Andre Miller to keep the puck onside and find his teammate fast for the grade-A chance.
The bleeding was stopped, but the third period was bound to be a thriller based on how these two teams were finding clear chances to score. Who broke the tie first was the major question, and Brett Howden had the answer just 1:21 into the period.
The playoff leader in goals, Howden had a beautiful tip on a shot by Theodore for his 11th of the playoffs and perhaps his most important in Game 1. The scoreboard remained silent for some time after that, with both teams trying to set up solid forechecks, but to no avail. The Hurricanes even had a power play, but they couldn’t find the back of the net.
William Karlsson of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period of Game One of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., on June 2, 2026. (Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
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Then, with 8:41 left, some puck luck found the Hurricanes, as defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere saw an offensive zone face-off biscuit fall right into his lap with no one around. He secured the puck on his stick blade and wristed it past Hart for the 4-4 tie.
However, the rollercoaster ride for the Hurricanes didn’t have a happy ending when they got off, with Hertl’s goal, assisted on a crafty Sissons’ pass following a face-off, being the final say in this one.
Game 2 of this series will be played once more in Raleigh on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET.
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Jared Grindlinger is not ready to say goodbye to his friends at Huntington Beach High. The likely first-round draft pick didn’t have to play for the Oilers in the Southern California Division I regional playoffs, let alone pitch. But he did both to help Huntington Beach knock off San Diego Open Division champion Patrick Henry 10-3 on Tuesday.
Grindlinger went four for four, including a home run, and finished with three RBIs. He also struck out five in three innings on the mound. Dane Cunningham had a three-run home run. Huntington Beach advances to play the winner of Wednesday’s game between Corona and Chula Vista Eastlake on Thursday.
Cathedral Catholic 4, St. John Bosco 2: The impressive two-year run of St. John Bosco’s baseball team has come to an end. The Braves had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the seventh but couldn’t push across any runs and were eliminated in a first-round Division I game. They won the Southern Section Division 1 title the last two seasons and the regional title last season.
La Mirada 7, Liberty 6: A three-run seventh inning helped the Matadores enjoy their bus ride home from Bakersfield. The big hit was a three-run home run by Justin Torres. La Mirada will face Cathedral Catholic on Thursday in the semifinals.
Arroyo Grande 4, Loyola 3: An RBI single in the eighth inning by Colton Gotchal pushed Arroyo Grande to victory over top-seeded Loyola in Division 2. Jack Murray had a home run and two RBIs for Loyola.
Newport Harbor 2, Madison 0: Gavin Guy threw the shutout with seven strikeouts.
South El Monte 3, Brentwood 2: South El Monte went on the road and pulled off the upset of Division 6 champion Brentwood. Anthony Mata had an RBI single and Gabriel Canchola limited the Eagles to four hits while striking out nine in six innings.
Westview 7, Carson 1: Leadoff hitter Eli Irvine had three hits for the winners.
North Torrance 2, Bell 0: Seth Narasaki and Joey Banuelos combined for the shutout.
Verdugo Hills 11, Rolling Hills Prep 2: Cutlor Fannon finished with three hits and three RBIs for the Dons.
Sports
Naomi Osaka offers uninspiring response about her mindset following French Open loss to Aryna Sabalenka
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Naomi Osaka has made a habit of making headlines with her comments inside the media center at various Grand Slam stops over the years, and this year’s French Open was no different.
The four-time Grand Slam winner lost in straight sets to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka (5-7, 3-6) in the fourth round of Roland Garros, which has become a familiar situation for Osaka in her career. The 28-year-old holds a 1-3 record against the Belarusian all-time, with all three of her losses coming in 2026.
While answering questions from the media following her fourth-round exit in France, Osaka was asked if she could take any encouragement from the loss or if she feels daunted about the challenge in closing the gap between herself and Sabalenka.
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a backhand against Aryna Sabalenka during Day Nine of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on June 1, 2026, in Paris, France. (Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
NAOMI OSAKA’S ALL-BLACK FRENCH OPEN OUTFIT RIVALS HER JELLYFISH-INSPIRED LOOK FROM THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN
The question was a bit strange, as the idea of being encouraged after a third straight loss to the same opponent would be unique, but the question wasn’t nearly as odd as the answer Osaka proceeded to give.
“I don’t know if you knew me before, but I would be very, very disappointed in myself after matches like these. But I kinda realized it doesn’t matter at all,” Osaka began.
“I’ve played her multiple times and sadly to say lost multiple times. The only thing I can keep doing is trying l my best. Maybe, hopefully, it’ll work out in my favor one day. But I can’t let myself be discouraged every time I lose to someone or win against someone. Because honestly, hitting a ball doesn’t really matter, like, on Earth, kind of.”
It doesn’t get more uninspiring than that.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus against Naomi Osaka of Japan during Day Nine of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on June 1, 2026, in Paris, France. (Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
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For a four-time Slam winner and former World No. 1 herself, Osaka admitting aloud that “hitting a ball doesn’t really matter” is shocking.
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a backhand against Aryna Sabalenka during Day Nine of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on June 1, 2026, in Paris, France. (Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
Imagine the level of criticism an NBA superstar would receive if they said “shooting a basketball doesn’t really matter” after a loss, or an NFL quarterback suggesting “throwing a football doesn’t really matter” after a crushing defeat.
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Osaka, however, continuously gets the benefit of the doubt by many in the tennis world despite withdrawing from the 2021 French Open because the pressures of the media were apparently too much for her to handle. She also cried in the media center at Roland Garros a year ago after her first-round exit.
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