George Russell Gagal Finis akibat Tabrakan dengan Lewis Hamilton

Pembalap Mercedes George Russell gagal menyelesaikan balapan Formula 1 Grand Prix Belgia di Sirkuit Spa-Francorchamps pada Minggu, 19 Juli 2026, setelah terlibat tabrakan dengan Lewis Hamilton di tikungan kelima pada lap pertama.

Insiden di Les Combes tersebut membuat Russell tergelincir ke area kerikil dan menyudahi balapannya lebih awal, sementara Hamilton dijatuhi hukuman penalti lima detik oleh pengawas balapan karena dianggap memicu tabrakan.

Sebelum benturan terjadi, Russell mengalami kendala teknis berupa hilangnya tenaga mesin secara drastis saat melintasi trek lurus Kemmel setelah mengawali balapan dari posisi ketiga.

"I made a good start. I made a great first corner and I was tucked up right behind Verstappen, but for whatever reason the battery decided not to recharge at Turn 1," ujar George Russell, Pembalap Mercedes.

Kegagalan pengisian daya baterai tersebut memicu gangguan pada sistem turbocharger sehingga mobil tidak mendapatkan pasokan tenaga yang dibutuhkan.

"So I went round the first corner, the battery didn't charge and I exited the first corner and I was 35% down - and because of that, because it didn't charge, I also had a boost problem. The turbo didn't sort itself out, so I had no power," kata George Russell, Pembalap Mercedes.

Kondisi kehilangan daya di lintasan lurus tersebut membuat posisinya langsung dilewati oleh tiga pembalap lain sekaligus dalam waktu singkat.

"I got to the top of Eau Rouge with 0% on the battery. Quite frankly, it was dangerous," tutur George Russell, Pembalap Mercedes.

Situasi tersebut menempatkannya pada posisi rentan di barisan tengah sebelum akhirnya bersenggolan dengan jet darat Ferrari milik Hamilton.

"I was going slower than an F2 car, I got overtaken by three drivers. Left me vulnerable," keluh George Russell, Pembalap Mercedes.

Meski pengawas balapan menyalahkan Hamilton, Russell menilai peristiwa tersebut lebih dipicu oleh masalah teknis kendaraan miliknya ketimbang tindakan ceroboh mantan rekan setimnya.

"Honestly, I think was a racing incident. He didn't do it on purpose," aku George Russell, Pembalap Mercedes.

Russell menambahkan bahwa Hamilton memang memiliki andil lebih besar dalam tabrakan itu, namun dirinya jauh lebih kecewa karena gangguan mesin memaksanya melorot ke posisi belakang.

"Yeah, he was more to blame than I am, but he didn't do anything reckless. That was one of those things, I'm just most angry with that I was in that position in the first place. I was in a great position out of Turn 1 and I was ready to fight the two guys ahead of me up to Turn 5. Instead I get swamped by three drivers," papar George Russell, Pembalap Mercedes.

Akibat hasil minor ini, selisih poin Russell dengan pemimpin klasemen sementara, Kimi Antonelli, dipastikan kembali melebar setelah sebelumnya berjarak 25 angka.

"Appreciate everyone is working hard to solve the problem - I'm stood here on lap five of the race and felt like I was in a good position to fight for the lead in Turn 1, and then suddenly no power and it's all gone," pungkas George Russell, Pembalap Mercedes.