Ferrari takes engine penalty in Baku; Mercedes delays Russell's penalty

Ferrari has decided to absorb a grid penalty for Charles Leclerc at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, deploying a fresh power unit ahead of the race. In contrast, Mercedes is delaying a penalty for George Russell until the Americas triple-header, where they expect a significant upgrade. Russell noted that taking his penalty now would result in two separate grid drops, which he aimed to avoid by timing it with the upgrade's arrival. Ferrari has already utilized both of its engine upgrade opportunities and sees this as a necessary step after recent performance issues. Mercedes leads the constructors' championship by a significant margin over Ferrari, intensifying the pressure on the Scuderia as the season progresses.

• 7:00 AMYahoo Sports — Ferrari takes Baku penalty now while Mercedes waits: why two teams chose opposite engine strategies