Antonelli Celebrates, But Not With Everyone: Russell’s Disrespectful Gesture Leads to a Fine
Mercedes’ celebration of Kimi Antonelli’s world championship triumph had one notable absentee: George Russell. The British driver left the Mexico City paddock before the team’s celebrations marking the 20-year-old Italian’s first world championship title, and also avoided the mandatory press conferences following the Grand Prix. This decision speaks volumes about his disappointment with a season in which Russell had started out with high hopes of being a contender, only to see his teammate win the World Championship.
His sixth-place finish in Mexico definitively dashed his championship hopes. Russell had a particularly difficult Sunday: after starting from second on the grid, a power distribution issue caused him to drop back in the early stages of the race. To further complicate matters, he made contact with Isack Hadjar, for which he received a ten-second penalty. The Briton thus finished well off the podium, while Antonelli celebrated winning the title thanks to his third-place finish.
Despite the disappointment, Russell still congratulated his teammate after the checkered flag. This gesture was also appreciated by Toto Wolff, who explained and justified his absence from the celebrations and media obligations: “George showed great sportsmanship by going to greet Kimi and congratulate him after the race. I spoke with him after the race, and I understand that for an athlete, this is a devastating moment—one that’s very difficult to accept.”
Wolff made no secret of his understanding for the British driver’s decision: “The fact that he didn’t make any statements to the media or left the track before the celebration is completely understandable. In fact, if he had stayed, it would have surprised me, because coming to terms with this isn’t easy. But he’ll come back to the track stronger.”
Russell’s absence from press events also had regulatory consequences: Mercedes was fined 5,000 euros by the FIA for the driver’s failure to participate in post-race obligations. However, this penalty does not change the team’s stance, as it remains committed to protecting its driver during this particularly difficult time.
