A "distraught" George Russell was handed a £4,000 fine after breaking protocol following a disappointing performance at the Mexican Grand Prix due to a technical fault.

An energy deployment issue sent him backwards from the front row. He collided with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar, picked up a 10-second time penalty for that, and ended the race sixth, while teammate Kimi Antonelli claimed a podium and the title Russell had aspirations for earlier in the season.

Antonelli became the youngest F1 World Champion in history and the first Italian to win the coveted championship in 73 years after finishing third in Mexico City behind second-place Lewis Hamilton and race-winner Max Verstappen.

Russell congratulated Antonelli and his family before quickly departing, but it's those actions that have cost him.

Toto Wolff Discusses George Russell's Mexican GP Heartbreak

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff showed compassion for Russell following the race, as he said: “I saw George after the race on the FIA scales, and obviously he’s distraught about the situation.

“It was a great show of sportsmanship to go and see Kimi.

“I have known George for such a long time. So, I saw him and thought, for a racing driver, this is a catastrophic moment. And maybe today, the race was a little bit a picture of his season. This was a race for him to win. We had the pace in the car. And we let him down on the first straight. The energy delivery is not what we thought it should be."

Why Russell Was Fined at Mexican GP

Russell was handed the fine after failing to attend media duties following the race. This is required of every driver without a valid reason not to attend.

Wolff would defend Russell's choice to skip media duties, however, saying: “I’m very much with him at the moment. I’ve been in situations where it’s very, very difficult to cope.

“So, him not doing the media work, or leaving the track, is absolutely understandable. Him staying would have actually surprised me.”

Russell has had a very frustrating season with three DNFs in Canada, Belgium, and Singapore respectively. These led to a loss of 43 points based off his position at the moment of retirement.

These are not the only issues Russell has faced this season. A water leak and anti-stall in Hungary bothered the Mercedes driver while also suffering power unit issues in Malaysia. A myriad of issues plagued Russell in China, Japan, and the United States as well.

Russell will be hoping for an improvement in the final four races and beyond, to not just the car, but his luck as well.