George Russell shared how he accidentally distracted his rivals in Formula 1.

According to The Sun: George Russell, a Mercedes driver, shared the reasons why his rivals in Formula 1 previously accused him of distracting them before races.

The 27-year-old driver is showing excellent results this season, currently sitting in fourth place in the overall standings.

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While McLaren stars Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are successfully overtaking competitors, Russell and current world champion Max Verstappen are competing for third place. With a slight gap in results, any psychological advantage can be decisive.

Russell accidentally gained some advantage during one of the race weekends due to a TV commercial that was often broadcast in hotels for the drivers.

“Those movies in hotel rooms are always good, as one of them aired my ad,” he noted at a Marriott Bonvoy event.

“This was in one of the Ritz-Carlton hotels where all the drivers stay. They all came up to me the next day and said I distracted them. Every time they walked into a room, I was on the TV screen, talking to them,” Russell added.

“Maybe I could record a personalized address to them, like 'you won't win this race weekend' or something like that, let's try to do it!”

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Russell missed the Formula 1 media day before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix due to illness, but returned on Friday for two practice sessions.

The Briton showed the fourth best time in FP1 and third in FP2, trailing only Ferrari stars Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

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Formula 1 2025

Formula 1 Season 2025

The new Formula 1 season is already actively underway, and one team seems to be pulling ahead.

Serious changes occurred over the summer: Lewis Hamilton left Mercedes and moved to Ferrari, while the McLaren pairs Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have every chance to stop Max Verstappen's recent dominance.

The Red Bull star aims to clinch a fifth consecutive championship title, which would be a new record in Formula 1.

INFORMATION

• F1 2025 calendar, race times, TV and live streaming information
• How much does each driver earn and are there bonuses?
• Full list of drivers and teams for 2025
• Track overview – has there been any changes this season?

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THIS YEAR'S SEASON

• Race one – Australia
• Race two – China
• Race three – Japan
• Race four – Bahrain
• Race five – Saudi Arabia
• Race six – Miami

This season of Formula 1 promises to be very exciting, as teams compete not only for victory but also for psychological advantage. George Russell's experience shows how important it is to leverage any opportunities to boost morale. Drivers are constantly looking for ways to maximize every element that can influence race results.

The 2025 Formula 1 season continues to surprise with competition among powerful teams. It will show who can keep their nerves in check and seize moments for personal achievements and victories.