George Russell to miss media day in Baku due to sudden illness.

George Russell to skip media session for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix due to illness

According to The Sun: George Russell will not be able to participate in the media session ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix due to feeling unwell. The 27-year-old British driver decided not to take any risks as he has been battling pneumonia for several months already since November 2023.

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Mercedes' page on X revealed:

“Unfortunately, George will not be on track today as he is feeling unwell and is resting ahead of tomorrow's practices.”

Currently, there are no new details, but Russell hopes to return to action for both practices in Baku on Friday.

Struggle with pneumonia and driver's status

Russell talked about his struggle with pneumonia when he won the race in Las Vegas last year:

“I really wanted to do it (jump in the fountains), but after the race, I felt so cold that I thought I could get really sick.”

 

“This time last year, I actually got pneumonia and was unwell until mid-February after Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi.”

 

“So, I thought: 'I really want to do this', but then I remembered the difficulties I went through this time 12 months ago, as it hit my body hard.”

Russell arrives in Baku sitting fourth in the Drivers' Championship, having only failed to score points in one of the 15 races this season. His new contract with Mercedes has not been officially confirmed yet, although team principal Toto Wolff stated that George will remain with the team for the next year.

The 27-year-old driver has been at the center of speculation regarding Max Verstappen's future, whom Mercedes also intends to sign.

However, Russell stated that he would stay with the team in any case and is even willing to partner with his main rival Verstappen if that happens.

Currently, Russell sits fourth in the Formula 1 drivers' standings, while Mercedes occupies third place in the Constructors' Championship.

id='6369962346112' data-video-id='6369962346112' data-account='5067014667001' data-player='default' data-usage='cms:WordPress:6.5.6:2.8.6:javascript' data-embed='default' class='video-js' data-application-id='' controls style='width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;'> George Russell will certainly remain in the spotlight during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and the presence of illness jeopardizes his participation in the practices. The situation with his health may influence the team's strategy during the international championship. How the fight for the title will unfold remains to be seen, but fans can hope to see Russell on the track in Baku very soon.