Apart from being F1 drivers, George Russell and Oscar Piastri share a lot in common. Both Piastri and Russell are considered to be the most promising young talents in F1 and potential future world champions.
Piastri’s rise to F1 is also quite similar to the Mercedes driver. Just like Russell, the Aussie successively won the F3 and F2 championships in his rookie year before graduating from Formula One.
However, instead of encountering each other for the first time in an award show or race weekend, the pair had a rather awkward first meeting. While Piastri was reluctant to share, the Mercedes driver spilled the beans on how they bumped into each other.
George Russell met Oscar Piastri for the first time in an Airport Toilet
Earlier Piastri stated that his first meeting with Russell happened in a rather “interesting” setting. Russell was asked about this on ‘The Fast And The Curious’ podcast and the Briton couldn’t stop smiling upon hearing it.
Russell shared his story of how he met the McLaren driver for the first time in 2020. He shared “I met him on a direct flight from London to Perth. I was on my way for the Australian GP and so was he.”
“We bumped into each other in the toilets when we landed in Perth,” said Russell. Both drivers had gotten off the plane and were in the designated waiting area. He added, “So yeah. I met him in the toilet!”
After recognizing the Aussie, Russell asked him if he was Piastri. Then the two went on to have a chat in the airport washroom. However, Russell explained that it wasn’t while either of them was on a bio-break.
“I don’t think we were lined up as you might think! It was when we were washing our hands,” clarified the Mercedes driver. However, this wasn’t the Briton claims it was not his first loo encounter.
Russell shares an embarrassing meeting with Ross Brawn
George Russell admits he has a streak of meeting F1 personalities in the restroom. The Briton shared that the first time he bumped into former Ferrari Technical director Ross Brawn was also in the toilets.
Russell was attending the 2009 Autosport Awards which Brawn attended. He had won the F1 constructors championship with his team and Jenson Button won the driver’s title.
Russell claimed he recognized the former Brawn GP and Mercedes team principal. However, he said, “I didn’t have the courage to introduce myself as an 11-year-old kid.”
The Mercedes driver claims maybe in another 10 years he would bump into another F1 personality in the restroom. Maybe, this time he would be meeting another prodigal driver like he was once!
