During the first free practice for the Mexican Grand Prix, George Russell provided a notable moment. The British driver had to sit out the session as Mercedes junior Frederik Vesti took over his car. Instead of watching the action from the pit wall, Russell decided to take a different approach: he took a seat in the stands.
Russell, who usually drives the Mercedes W16, had to sit out the first free practice due to the so-called rookie rule. According to this rule, every regular driver must relinquish their car to a young driver with limited Formula 1 experience in two free practices during the season. This time, it was Frederik Vesti’s turn to take Russell’s place.
The Brit decided to take the opportunity to experience the sport as the fans do. Wearing a mask and sunglasses, he entered the iconic Foro Sol stadium section of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, amidst the ecstatic Mexican supporters. “I haven’t seen Formula 1 cars from the stands in years,” Russell later said with a smile. “So I thought: let’s do that again.” When he saw his car — with Vesti at the wheel — pass by, Russell couldn’t hide his excitement. “That’s my car! He’s driving my car!” the Brit exclaimed, laughing.
Back on the Track
From the second free practice, Russell returned to the W16 to complete his program. The team from Brackley is determined to have a better weekend than in Austin, where Mercedes saw its lead over Ferrari and Red Bull diminish. Russell’s spontaneous trip to the stands not only provided beautiful images, but also showed that even a Formula 1 driver can sometimes just be a fan.
