**Russell to Start United States Grand Prix from Pit Lane After Crash**

George Russell's misfortune at the United States Grand Prix has seen him demoted from his initial sixth place on the grid to a pit lane start. The Mercedes driver crashed at turn 19 during the final segment of qualifying, causing significant damage that required extensive repairs to his car.

Mercedes confirmed that Russell's W15 had to revert to the specifications used at the Singapore Grand Prix in order to address the damage. This change came despite the team introducing major updates to the vehicle this weekend, including a revised floor, updated suspension, and modifications to the sidepod inlets. The extensive repairs, which continued for more than two hours after qualifying, violated the regulations, prompting the decision to start Russell from the pit lane.

The shake-up in the grid positions following Russell's penalty will benefit Pierre Gasly, who will move up to sixth place. Consequently, other drivers will also advance, with Lewis Hamilton now set to start 17th in the other Mercedes. Hamilton had expressed a preference to start from the pit lane to make further adjustments to his car, but under the current circumstances, he remains on the grid.

The weekend has been perplexing for Mercedes, who struggled to maintain the promising performance shown on Friday. Both Russell and Hamilton were strong contenders for pole position for the sprint race, but faced difficulties with the car's balance during the second qualifying session. Hamilton, in particular, did not progress beyond Q1.

Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff, expressed his disappointment and frustration, stating that despite a strong showing on Friday, the team's performance during the sprint race and subsequent sessions was lackluster. The cars struggled with handling balance and tyre overheating issues, which affected both drivers.

In a bid to address these challenges, the team made setup changes, but could not replicate their earlier performance. It remains to be seen how these setbacks will influence their strategies as they gear up for the main race.