George Russell may not be in the good books for a lot of fans, especially in the Lewis Hamilton camp. While the Mercedes driver had done nothing wrong, he may have rubbed fans the wrong way or had just been grossly misjudged. However, now, with his recent event at the Mercedes HQ, he may have changed their perception.
Last year at the British GP, audiences witnessed the horrific incident with Guanyu Zhou. Russell famously stopped his car, which was a part of the collision, to help his fellow driver, who was sandwiched between the barriers.
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) July 4, 2023
Russell heroically helped the marshalls rescue the driver, who made it out okay. Now, as a token of thanks, Russell invited the same marshalls over for a unique experience at Brackley.
The marshalls were given a tour of the Mercedes operations center, followed by a chat with Russell who is bouncing between two race weekends.
Fans switch sides as Mercedes hero George Russell impresses
While it wasn’t his intention, Russell won over the hearts of F1 fans with his latest actions. The gesture was extremely sweet on the part of the busy driver- who took the time to be grateful.
Fans were left teary-eyed as Russel finally got recognized for who he is- a nice lad.
aw i hate to say this but george russel is really growing on me hah https://t.co/dKklXnCYaj
— els ¹¹ (@f1els) July 4, 2023
this is so sweet i could never hate him even tho he tests me a lot https://t.co/inVEEGxfww
— eieieoin (15 days) (@leclercmiltons) July 4, 2023
One of the race marshalls posted about the experience, further killing Russell’s ‘villain’ persona.
And yet people will keep saying he’s a villain 🙄 https://t.co/uswboWcvPz
— Just (@Just__JuJu) July 4, 2023
THAT'S SO SWEET
ISTHIS GUY A VILLAIN??? https://t.co/MZQIjPTzNS
— mula científica⁴⁴ ⁶³ (@mulacientifica) July 4, 2023
Not only did he win over the Mercedes fans, but Russell also had a Verstappen fan in his corner.
As Max Verstappen fan i can only say: RESPECT👍
— Marcel (@Marcel__2023) July 4, 2023
As one fan summarized it, “People think he is entitled but in reality, he is so sweet and considerate, he just doesn’t have time to joke around at work that much anymore.”
can i be honest?? the way he is perceived kinda reminds me of lewis.. bc he is so focus on his mission and his JOB that people think he is entitled but in reality he is so sweet and considerate, he just doesn't have time to joke around at work that much anymore https://t.co/9ubifzRCkW
— 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨⁴⁴🏳️🌈🇦🇷 (@LH_henchman) July 4, 2023
A year to Zhou’s scary crash
On the chaotic opening lap of the race, Zhou’s Alfa Romeo was upended after making contact with Russell’s Mercedes. the crash saw the car propelled over the run-off area, colliding with the tire barrier and jumping into the fencing.
As drivers checked in on the driver via radio messages and tv footage, Zhou was wedged between the barriers and the fence, upside down. Rescue teams faced the challenge of freeing Zhou from this narrow area, who ultimately emerged unharmed. Russell, who was concerned for the driver, rushed over to help, leaving behind the wreckage of his damaged Mercedes car.
Shaken up, Russell had stated, “An incredibly scary incident, not just for him but for everyone in the crowd as well, it’s never nice to see.” Having gone to help the driver, Russell had also painted a glum picture of the incident. “It was horrible, in that position he was stuck there, nothing he could have done.”
But the marshals, with Russell’s help, dislodged the driver, who was fortunately unscathed. Thus, Russell turned a dark memory into something cheerful- while also showing the decency to say thank you.
