Russell down one Mercedes engine after Melbourne bust

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Mercedes has reportedly lost the engine in George Russell's car that went up in smoke at the Australian Grand Prix earlier this month.

The setback heightens the prospect of a grid penalty later this season for the Briton who is now left with just two Internal Combustion Engines in his normal pool of hardware.

Russell had led the early stages of the race at Albert Park, but seven laps after his first pitstop, the Mercedes charger reported a loss of power that eventually forced him to park his car on the side of the track near the pitlane exit, the rear end of his W14 ablaze.

Read also: Russell angered after Oz race hopes go up in smoke

According to Auto Motor und Sport, Mercedes traced the failure to a piece of debris lodged in a cylinder. Mercedes' crews at Brixworth have discarded the damaged unit's ICE, turbocharger and MGU-H, while the remaining components are still being analyzed.

Russell's W14 will be fitted with a new power unit in Azerbaijan next week.

The failure isn't the first breakdown suffered by Mercedes this season, with customer team McLaren also losing an engine at the season opening race in Bahrain, where Lando Norris' unit suffered a pneumatic pressure leak.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.