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“This 40-year old guy was booing me when I don’t even know him”- George Russell shares experience after being jeered by fan first time ever

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"This 40-year old guy was booing me when I don't even know him"- George Russell shares experience after being jeered by fan first time ever

George Russell is one of the best talents in F1 today, but saw the downside of being in the sport after being booed by a fan in Canada.

Being an F1 driver is a luxury only 20 drivers around the world can have at a given time. Russell, who made his debut in 2019 has gone on to become one of the best in the grid today.

His incredible consistency at Williams landed him a Mercedes seat in 2022. Since joining the Silver Arrows, he’s once again shown why he’s so highly rated. He has outperformed teammate Lewis Hamilton on several occasions, and remains the only driver to finish P5 or above in every race this season.

However, he experienced the downside of fame during F1’s last outing in Canada. The sport returned to Montreal after a two year gap, and Russell felt for the first time how it was like getting jeered by a fan.

He shared his experience about how the fan booed him, ahead of the British Grand Prix this weekend.

Also read: “British Grand Prix under chaos”- Silverstone GP faces major disruption as police warn protesters planning to invade the track

George Russell has no idea why the fan was booing him in Montreal

Russell admitted that he had no reason as to why the fan booed him in Montreal. It happened during the Drivers’ Parade ahead of the race, when they were going around the circuit waving at fans.

He has had a lot more attention on him since his move to Mercedes from Williams, and he acknowledges how it will also lead to instances like this.

“As your profile raises, there’s a lot of positives that come with it, no doubt,” he said. “But there’s also downsides to it that also take a bit of readjusting.”

“I had the first time in Montreal somebody shout my name and boo at me,” the former Williams driver continued. “I’m just sat in the car on the drivers’ parade and it’s quite a strange thing to comprehend that this 35, 40-year-old guy is booing at me when I don’t even know him.”

“I just try to keep myself to myself and just try to do my best every single race I go to. Put on a good show and be polite and pleasant to everyone.”

Russell is fourth in the F1 standings with 111 points to his name.

Also read: New video of Nelson Piquet making racial and homophobic comments towards Lewis Hamilton surfaces

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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