Russell could take next engine penalty in Las Vegas

MERCEDES driver George Russell could take another engine penalty at next month's Las Vegas Grand Prix, by which time teammate Kimi Antonelli is likely to have clinched the Formula One championship.

Russell, second in the standings but 102 points behind the Italian with six rounds remaining, started at the back of the grid in Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix after exceeding his season's allocation of power units.

He said last week that he would be taking another penalty before the end of the season.

"It'll probably be later in the season now, to be honest. Maybe looking at Vegas," he told Sky Sports television after finishing ninth at Marina Bay.

"Now we've got the choice to take it when we wish, and we'll be choosing a slightly easier track than this one."

Russell and Mercedes had not planned to take a new engine in Singapore, a circuit where it is hard to overtake, but their hands were forced by a failure that sidelined the Briton at the previous Bahrain round in Malaysia and gave them no choice.

Austin, Texas would have been the preferred choice option on October 25.

Antonelli, 20, has his first chance to become the sport's youngest ever champion in Austin.

The winner of eight grands prix this year will have to win there, however, to become Italy's first champion since 1953 with five rounds to spare – and it will still depend on Russell or Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton not scoring enough to remain in contention.

Mexico a week later, or Brazil the weekend after, look more likely venues to witness the championship success before Las Vegas.

There can be no doubt that Antonelli will prevail eventually, with third-placed Hamilton now 111 points adrift and only 125 available after Austin.

If Antonelli wins in Texas then Red Bull's Max Verstappen, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and McLaren's reigning champion Lando Norris will be out of title contention immediately.

Four-times champion Verstappen, winner on Sunday, will be chasing his third successive victory in the next race. — REUTERS