George Russell 2022, for the first time, competed for Mercedes for a full-fledged season in Formula 1. That was one of the reasons he got so much prominence, and his every move was on the camera.
In that process, many started to regard him as an aggressive driver for his collisions here and there. The highest point of criticism towards him came during the Singapore Grand Prix when he had an intense battle with Mick Schumacher.
The Briton collided with him and got a puncture. In response, the Mercedes driver said, which apparently didn’t go well with others, that his Haas competition is driving like it’s the race of his life, crikey!
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No more privacy for George Russell
The comment got instant criticism from Russell, while he thought this was the stuff he used to do before. But it now hits him that in Mercedes, he can no more have a veil on his actions and comments.
“You have no privacy. I have chosen to be a racing driver because I dream of becoming a Formula 1 world champion. My dream isn’t to be famous but to be in front of the TV cameras every day. My job and dream are to race and win,” Russell said to Motorsports.
The Briton claims that he made such comments in the pursuit of winning without realizing that every word by him is telecasted to millions at home, and it’s being written down under a microscope.
He also justifies that his comment on Schumacher wasn’t anger at the German race driver. Rather he was frustrated by himself during that race, as it wasn’t going well for him.
2023 brings them together
The end of 2022 was a hard time for Schumacher. The 2020 F2 champion got to see an axe by Haas before the upcoming season and now remains without a seat.
He has also departed the Ferrari drivers’ academy. Thus, he is out of favour from there also. But Mercedes came to his rescue and took him under their fold. He is now their reserve driver and could see his re-entry through their influence.
Considering Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are stable within the Silver Arrows’ camp, the 23-year-old can’t see a break at Brackley anytime soon.
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