George Russell will start from the back of the grid in Singapore after experiencing an engine failure during the previous race in Sepang. This latest setback threatens his chances of winning the Formula One World Championship. Mercedes has confirmed that Russell will receive a new power unit for the Singapore Grand Prix, a direct result of the failure that forced him to retire in Sepang. This change automatically triggers a penalty, placing him at the rear of the grid for Sunday's race. Russell had previously stopped his car behind the safety car during the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was held in Malaysia, when he was in a strong position for third place. This is his second power unit failure this season, following another in Canada, which had cost him valuable points as Kimi Antonelli finished second, increasing his lead in the championship to 84 points. A Mercedes spokesperson stated that Russell will use new engine components in Singapore. However, there is still uncertainty about the exact specifications of the new parts that will be installed in his W17. Mercedes had planned to introduce an updated version of its power unit, which benefits from the ADUO, in the final weeks of the season, likely during the United States Grand Prix in Austin. Russell was expected to receive a grid penalty when this new version was installed. Now, the question is whether Mercedes can speed up its program and introduce the updated power unit directly in Singapore. If they do, Russell can immediately serve his penalty while also upgrading his engine. If not, Russell might face a particularly tough situation: starting from the back of the grid in Singapore with the current power unit, then facing another penalty later in the season when the new version is introduced. The good news for Russell is that his penalty applies only to Sunday's Grand Prix. This means he will retain his qualifying position for the Sprint, unless another penalty is imposed during the weekend. This gives him a chance to score points in the Sprint and minimize the damage against Antonelli before facing the main race, which is expected to be even more challenging. Mercedes can also look to an encouraging precedent. Antonelli had received several new components during the Italian Grand Prix and, starting 19th, made a remarkable recovery to win the race. However, repeating such a performance in Singapore is expected to be much more difficult. The narrow streets of Marina Bay offer far fewer overtaking opportunities than Monza, making Russell's recovery particularly difficult. This penalty comes at a particularly bad time for Russell. His retirement in Sepang, combined with Antonelli's 18 points from his second-place finish, has widened the gap between the two Mercedes drivers to 84 points. Antonelli cannot mathematically become world champion in Singapore, but after this weekend, 150 points will still be available in the championship. If Antonelli wins both the Sprint and the Grand Prix in Singapore, he could collect a maximum of 33 points. If Russell starts from the back of the grid and doesn't score any points, Antonelli would have a real chance of securing the world title in Austin. Russell will therefore have to make the most of the Sprint before trying to limit the damage on Sunday from the back of the grid. After his failure in Sepang, this new penalty further complicates an already difficult situation in the battle for the championship.