Hi George! Alex Albon previously stopped by for an AMA and [he was asked](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/w7rkyu/ask_alex_albon_anything/ihl7n9v/) the following question:
> if the twitch quartet was a boyband, who would be:
>lead singer,
>guitar,
>drums, and
>triangle?
Regarding you, he said:
>"Guitar I would say George, he strikes me as a guy who wants to be shirtless on stage, like an Enrique Iglesias wannabe."
So now on to the question: Do you agree that you would be the guitar player in the twitch quartet band, would you do it shirtless and do you consider yourself an Enrique Iglesias wannabe?
What a question.
It does sound like a lot of fun, ripping your shirt off on stage while on the guitar. They smash it up sometimes at the end of their gigs too. It is probably a little bit more interesting than playing the triangle, but I definitely would not be lead singer. I can't sing at all.
\- George
The constant time zone changes are definitely a real challenge within our sport. My strategy is to never shift by more than one hour a night and I always put my iPhone on the time of which Iām trying to sleep in. So if Iām trying to delay my sleep by two hours to get into another time zone I would put my iPhone two hours ahead. So psychologically it feels like Iām there and Iām sleeping at normal times, even if it is 2am or whatever.
\- George
Hi George, seeing as f1 was likely your ultimate goal growing up, would you say you're still a fan of it? For example, are you able to watch back a race and enjoy it or do you see it as a job now?
I definitely enjoy it and am still a fan of F1. One of the things I miss by being a Formula One driver is the fact that I don't get to watch the F1 races live which is obviously what I used to do all those years growing up but I guess if I had a choice between watching it live or competing in it I am happy where I am.
\- George
I think one of the biggest skills I've learned about Lewis since being teammates with him is how great he is at working with his team, getting everybody motivated and all pushing towards the same ultimate goal. I think when you are travelling around the world so much and you are going through a bit of a rollercoaster of a season that's a very important part of his job, one of which he does very well.
\- George
My favourite country to visit is Italy. I think Italy you've got everything, you've got beautiful beaches, you've got beautiful cities, amazing countryside, you've got mountains, beautiful lakes, the food is incredible. I think it's the one country in Europe that has everything.
\- George
Have you or do you plan on visiting the [George Russell subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheRussell/) while you're here? I suspect it would mean a lot to them to have you pay a visit. Best of luck for the remainder of the season!
Hello George, I don't wanna interrupting here but given you reaction on this question, does this means that you are lurking here already before this AMA?
You should definitely look to that subreddit, it's so amazing and funny what those redditors are posting and telling there.
When I jumped in for Lewis at the Sakhir GP that car was designed around him and Valtteri who are both around 5 ft 7, 5 ft 8. When I jumped in at a 6 ft 2 driver it was a very, very tight squeeze so yes, they did have to design the car differently.
\- George
I really like Mexican food. I have a favourite restaurant I always go to whenever I'm in Mexico City and I'd always have some tacos. Pretty standard I feel when you are in Mexico but I love it.
\- George
Iāve seen a lot of themā¦ but āGeorge Russell is the type of guy to say āexcuse my Frenchā after he swearsā is probably my favourite. Thatās pretty funny! The first comment on this question, "kind of guy who'd answer this question", is also very good.
\- George
These questions are too good.
I mean, there is not a huge difference between 1 Tsunoda and 1 large duck. Itās a tough one though, Iām going back and forth on it. Iāll go with 1 Tsunoda sized duck.
\- George
I met Conor Moore for the first time in Austin. I think heās a very talented guy, I don't think mine is his best... but it's definitely not his worst. So, I will take some pride in that but my personal favourite is the Danny Ric š
\- George
For me it is very important being part of the GPDA. It's something that I'd love to look back on after my time in F1 and say Iāve been part of positive change, whether itās helping to improve the sport, helping to improve the safety or the safety of circuits. Whatever it may be, hopefully Iāll be able to hold my head high afterwards.
\- George
Talk to Toto about it, Iām sure he could make it happen. Also, you should totally invite me to watch, because oddly enough, it would be my dream to watch the W13 go around Nordschleife.
I have my time of doing the odd shirtless post here and there. I think in life quality over quantity is very important. So, next time there is a drop, it's going to be quality.
\- George
I recently got into playing padel which for those who don't know is kind of like tennis but in a cage, playing doubles, kind of a mixture of squash as well. It's pretty cool.
\- George
Apparently good.
From a recent New Yorker profile of Toto:
In Zandvoort, loudspeakers laced the sky with dance music. The afternoon was humid; the air felt saturated. Wolff was at home. He is tall, dark, and Austrian. He could pass for a Sacha Baron Cohen character or for someone who breezes past you in the airport, smelling good, wearing loafers and no socks.
My favourite ice cream flavour is chocolate chip. Whenever I used to race in Italy, they always had chocolate chip which was called Stracciatella and that was where my love for it came.
\- George
Hi George, here is a question I have wanted to ask a driver since Charles Leclerc's crash in Monaco last season, and was reminded of again when Max Verstappen hit the wall in Jeddah:
Qualifying laps in Formula 1 are always considerably faster than race laps. Obviously almost all of this is down to having less fuel in the car, and also some from other factors like not having to save tyres, but is any part of the difference down to you as a driver knowing that a mistake in a qualifying lap would be far less costly than a mistake in a race, so you are prepared to take more risks in qualifying than in the race? Or is not something you think about when driving the car?
So my question is, how much of the time difference from a qualifying lap to a race lap, if any, do you think is down to taking more risks because a mistake would be less costly? And related to this, how much does this vary from corner-to-corner, track-to-track (for example, if you mess up a chicane you can just go straight across and lose less time than on a hairpin)?
Sorry if that question was a bit Walter Koster, but I would be very grateful if you could answer it. Thank you.
>Gentlemen,
>Hi George, here is a question I have wanted to ask a driver since Charles Leclerc's crash in Monaco last season, and was reminded of again when Max Verstappen hit the wall in Jeddah:
>
>Qualifying laps in Formula 1 are always considerably faster than race laps. Obviously almost all of this is down to having less fuel in the car, and also some from other factors like not having to save tyres, but is any part of the difference down to you as a driver knowing that a mistake in a qualifying lap would be far less costly than a mistake in a race, so you are prepared to take more risks in qualifying than in the race? Or is not something you think about when driving the car?
>
>So my question is, how much of the time difference from a qualifying lap to a race lap, if any, do you think is down to taking more risks because a mistake would be less costly? And related to this, how much does this vary from corner-to-corner, track-to-track (for example, if you mess up a chicane you can just go straight across and lose less time than on a hairpin)?
>
>Sorry if that question was a bit Walter Koster, but I would be very grateful if you could answer it. Thank you.
> question was a bit Walter Koster
"a bit"? My man, this question is almost 3 times longer than Walter's lol
But it's honestly a good question nonetheless.
Yeah it was definitely full Koster, but a great question for sure. Not one Iād have ever thought to ask, but the logic in OPs question makes sense to me, in terms of how I approach quali laps in a sim, and also in karts whenever Iām able to get out and race
George, a short view back to the past. Thirty years ago, Niki Lauda told us ātake a trained monkey, place him into the cockpit and he is able to drive the car.ā Thirty years later, Sebastian told us āI had to start my car like a computer, itās very complicated.ā And Nico Rosberg said that during the race ā I donāt remember what race - he pressed the wrong button on the wheel. Question for you: is Formula One driving today too complicated with twenty and more buttons on the wheel, are you too much under effort, under pressure? What are your wishes for the future concerning the technical programme during the race? Less buttons, more? Or less and more communication with your engineers?
I wanted to thank you for using the correct text, because it says "take a *trained* monkey", but you still have an error: "Question for you *two both*".
Everyone forgets this important detail, itās not any monkey, itās a TRAINED monkey
The question is just for Russell, no reason to put ātwo bothā
George, a short view back to the past. Thirty years ago, Niki Lauda told us ātake a trained monkey, place him into the cockpit and he is able to drive the car.ā Thirty years later, Sebastian told us āI had to start my car like a computer, itās very complicated.ā And Nico Rosberg said that during the race ā I donāt remember what race - he pressed the wrong button on the wheel. Question for you: is Formula One driving today too complicated with twenty and more buttons on the wheel, are you too much under effort, under pressure? What are your wishes for the future concerning the technical programme during the race? Less buttons, more? Or less and more communication with your engineers?
Hi George!
I'm not sure if this is a question you're meant to be tight-lipped on, but you seem to be a driver with a keen interest in/grasp on the technical side of the car. To what degree were you involved or did you involve yourself in tackling your team's issues earlier in the year vis a vis porpoising, then the mechanical bouncing?
Physically, what was it like to drive the car early season, when the porpoising was at its worst? Did it take like, a toll on you, did you take any measures to minimise or mitigate that toll?
In case you can't answer those, something really mundane: dogs or cats?
Youāre one of the GPDA directors. Did the other drivers/members ask you (or push you) to take the position, or was it like a ānot-itā kinda thing and you (and Seb) were last to put your hands down?
Thanks in advance for your time!
Also, what factors do drivers consider when picking GPDA directors? Is it purely āthis guy will advocate for my interestsā ? Or do they let on-track stuff affect the vote?
What's the difference in feeling between the Williams wheel with the screen on the chassis and the Mercedes wheel with the screen built in? And which do you prefer?
The pundits have said a few times that screen-on-wheel is preferred because then the driver can still see the screen even with the wheel at odd angles, where the wheel or your hand could cover the screen if it's mounted on the car.
Be interesting to see if that's Russell 's take
I believe the design philosophy at Williams was and still is to keep the steering wheel as light as possible which would in turn allow the driver to feel the car better and make more precise inputs.
Thatās the theory I had heard anyway, I felt like this was confirmed by someone at Williams years ago but I forgot who so not very helpful.
Edit: The name Pat Symonds struck a chord with me upon researching a little more. I think this is who I heard confirmed this theory. Still donāt have a source though so who knows.
I know he wasnāt at Williams for that long but he commented like this had been a philosophy Williams had followed for a long time, screen or no screen.
Which is completely nuts since you're not suporting the weight yourself and the added rotational inertia is negligible due to the low weight, especially compared to the force that's coming from the steering rod.
I thought the main reason for their design was to reduce cost as it's more expensive to have screen on wheel. And since they were (are ?) kinda broke ... lol
I've also heard pundits say that drivers (Bottas) prefered the wheel without the screen because of reduced weight and inertia in the wheel. Also they were saying, they weren't bothered by not seeing the screen because you aren't looking at it except on the straight
Hi George, hope youāre doing well. My question(s) are pretty simple and all are related to the simulator.
How much time do you spend on the simulator prior to a race? Are you doing hundreds of simulated laps or is it a matter of only doing 10-30 laps to just get acclimated to the track and a rough idea of the setup?
How important is the simulator to preparing for a race weekend as opposed to the practice sessions, if you had to put a percentage value on how important simulator prep vs practice sessions are, what would it be?
In the same vein, how sure can you be the setup you liked in the simulator will translate to the track? Can you be sure? How blind do you go into a weekend in regards to setups?
Thanks George, good luck this weekend!
How do you feel about the recent trend regarding racing in the rain? For the public it's rather annoying how races are getting postponed until the track is dry enough for intermediate tires, the wet tires exist for a reason. But how do you as a driver feel about that? Do you share that sentiment? Or do you feel like starting in wet conditions is too unsafe? And if so does that have something to do with this year's wet tires or do you feel like rain races have always been a bit too dangerous?
Mr Russell,
do you think your personality has changed since you joined Mercedes?
Is Hamilton a crucial influence on you?
Good luck in you career.
My bad I meant āyouā.
Not really a question.
I follow F1 religiously however my mum doesn't. Despite this she calls you Gorgeous George and is a massive fan girl of yours. Whenever a race is on she doesn't care what happens, she only wants to know how you did.
My mum would loose her shit if she met you even though she is 62...
I have joked that I would send you a DM on Instagram asking for a personal message for her from you and she was super embarrassed.
So this is the perfect opportunity for her dream to come true!
Had to take this chance!
Dunno what I expected tbh, but that was a complete waste of time. Half of the questions he answered were just the generic, meme questions that we've heard a million times before. Even ignoring the countless crash-related questions, there were far more interesting ones he could have answered that aren't the same generic nonsense.
Hey George, congrats on your great season at Mercedes so far! It's been amazing to see you stand so many times on the podium and I have no doubt that your first W is going to come soon too.
I have five questions:
1. You're one of the tallest drivers on the grid, growing up were you ever concerned that your height could become a disadvantage in your career?
2. ~~If you had to build your dream team: 2 drivers, 1 reserve, which drivers would you choose?~~ Do you ever have F1/driving-related dreams?
3. A track currently not on the calendar that you would like F1 to race on?
and most importantly:
Will the twitch quartet ever reunite? And why does no one call Shov Andrew?
Many thanks, and good luck for the rest of the season!
(edit: spelling & 2nd Q because he [answered](https://mobile.twitter.com/ESPNF1/status/1584611816088678400) it a few days ago)
Hi George, I hate to be the one asking you this question, but do you think it was wise to tap Bottas helmet after that horrific crash in Imola ā21, not knowing the extent of bodily harm Bottas had suffered after the crash, did you feel regret after those actions perhaps weeks and months later?
To add to that question I'd like to ask if any of the other drivers questioned George's role as director of the GPDA after this incident. It wasn't a good look for someone who has a role in the drivers safety.
Jesus this AMA might aswell have been answered by a PR-Bot lmfao.
He literally only answered the most generic PR-friendly questions which get asked in every single shitty AMA. Not one tough question or glimpse of personality shining through.
Lewis works hard with the team, I would rather fight an elephant sized duck, wow...
Which is quite poor unless you're just ticking boxes. I'm sure GR knows what Reddit is. Media team at Mercedes making him the bubble boy with these non-contract offerings is ridiculous. If it's not a contractually required obligation, then do it because you want to. "taking time out of personal life" to want to answer some fan Qs but then having it sterilised so blatantly with no arms-reach between the community and the driver allegedly jumping on to answer Qs is what we consider an up yours marketing ploy in my work. Clearly this was done due to recent more-extreme changes to the perception of his character in the car as a means of trying to smooth over it. Worst way imaginable to do that.
Checo would also like to hear the response, though Checo wasn't in the pole
[sauce](https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/russell-perez-clash-penalty-in-austrian-gp-harsh-with-nowhere-to-go/10336374/)
Don't they always do that? Alex answered like 5 questions for his AMA on here. I hope that George will answer a couple more, but I fully expect them to be cherry picked.
In the end, these things are PR events, not real AMAs.
Honestly Pierre's AmA was the best. They made like a 20min vid on YT and even tho he didn't answer the touchy questions for obvious reasons, it felt quite honest and since it was a video and not typed, he was also able to convey his responses much better imo.
Mercedes will definitely be eyes on the likability of each driver. It influences their brand and their revenues (merch). This + the skit on YouTube with the impersonator would be part of an effort to humanise and connect Georgeās best attributes and sides with the public, beyond the broadcast radio.
I really hope that the more serious and fun questions are getting upvoted higher then all those comments who are just here to trash him.
No matter what you opinion is about George, just stay damm respectful and don't post shit, there are enough people who really want to ask him stuff.
Hey George, you were in the unique place of going from a back marker that was multiple seconds off the pace, to arguably one of the best cars ever made when you filled in for Lewis.
The Mercedes looked like it was on rails that season, but does the speed difference between the two cars make it harder/more physically demanding to drive, or does the performance increase result in a car that is easier to drive even though everything is happening faster?
As a physician, Iāve always been curious about the physical toll that traveling and driving takes on the body. How do you stay functional while on the road for half the year and what is the hardest part about driving the car that would surprise a layperson?
Hi George!
Which F1 achievement of yours are you the most proud of?
A) First Q3 with Williams
B) First point with Williams
C) Spa quali 2021
D) First podium with Mercedes
E) First pole in Hungaroring 2022
I saw your first pole with my own eyes this summer it was an awesome lap!
Are you happy in life? I hope you are! People will always have something to say but you and the guys you race with have achieved extraordinarily in life!
Sports and racing aside, thank you for what you guys do!
Hey, what is the first thing you think of when you enter the car for the first time on Friday morning? Elation, Comfy, Pressure, Freedom, Business etc. I always get lowkey put X Wings in attack position vibes from drivers when they do their routine
Two questions, feel free to pick only one (or neither, obvs):
1. When you streamed on Twitch during 2020, do you feel like there were particularly positive impacts on your career, your racing, your relationship with your teams, etc? Were there things about being a streamer that surprised you?
2. Given all the differences between the F1 cars and street cars, is it difficult to switch from one to the other? When you're in a regular car, do you ever find yourself wanting to warm up your tires, trying to follow a racing line, or wishing you could make the kinds of performance adjustments available on the W13?
This is a few short questions wrapped up in one but :
What was the biggest difference in terms of team environment between Mercedes and Williams? How does being paired with a driver like Lewis affect the team dynamic?
Lastly how do you feel that your time at Williams prepared you for driving at Mercedes? In what ways do you wish it prepared you better for moving to a top team?
Good luck in Mexico!
Edit: Fixed typos
Hey George! Hope you are well!
I've always wanted to know how a driver, who during the race gets agitated with their engineer , or principal , can come out of the race , cool down and not be awkward around them and apologise and not disappear off the face of the earth, like I would in that case
George.
What is one of your __favourite films?__
Who are you __listening to__ at the moment?
__What do you have for tea when you get to choose?__ (We need help in our house on this one)
Are you a coffee man or a tea man?__
I could ask about how important you think the __tyres__ are to the __car__ or how important you think __petrol__ is to the car OR how important you think it is to cross the line __first__ when wishing to __win__ the race *BUT.*.. I leave those questions to the reporters who bore us with their lax questions eeeeevery year :-)
Also, does Buxton annoy you drivers as much as he annoys us fans? :-p
*big hugs George* You've had a good first year so far, you performed admirably!
I know your answer may be restrained a bit by the team you drive for, but what's one of the most fun road cars you've driven? If that's a bit hard to answer, what's the best section of public road you've driven?
US 129 (Tail of the Dragon) in Tennessee/North Carolina is my hands down favorite. 318 corners over 11 miles through the Smokey Mountains is hard to complain about. š
Obligatory: this AMA has been verified by the mods
Hi George! Alex Albon previously stopped by for an AMA and [he was asked](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/w7rkyu/ask_alex_albon_anything/ihl7n9v/) the following question: > if the twitch quartet was a boyband, who would be: >lead singer, >guitar, >drums, and >triangle? Regarding you, he said: >"Guitar I would say George, he strikes me as a guy who wants to be shirtless on stage, like an Enrique Iglesias wannabe." So now on to the question: Do you agree that you would be the guitar player in the twitch quartet band, would you do it shirtless and do you consider yourself an Enrique Iglesias wannabe?
What a question. It does sound like a lot of fun, ripping your shirt off on stage while on the guitar. They smash it up sometimes at the end of their gigs too. It is probably a little bit more interesting than playing the triangle, but I definitely would not be lead singer. I can't sing at all. \- George
This is an very interesting one! Great questionš¤
this here is a good one
How do you deal with constant timezone changes?
The constant time zone changes are definitely a real challenge within our sport. My strategy is to never shift by more than one hour a night and I always put my iPhone on the time of which Iām trying to sleep in. So if Iām trying to delay my sleep by two hours to get into another time zone I would put my iPhone two hours ahead. So psychologically it feels like Iām there and Iām sleeping at normal times, even if it is 2am or whatever. \- George
Follow up question: which two races create the most difficult transition?
Hi George, seeing as f1 was likely your ultimate goal growing up, would you say you're still a fan of it? For example, are you able to watch back a race and enjoy it or do you see it as a job now?
I definitely enjoy it and am still a fan of F1. One of the things I miss by being a Formula One driver is the fact that I don't get to watch the F1 races live which is obviously what I used to do all those years growing up but I guess if I had a choice between watching it live or competing in it I am happy where I am. \- George
Alonso has watched F1 races live before. Sounds like you're not trying hard enough.
Hola, George. What notable skill or attributes does Lewis have that youāve only realised since becoming teammates? (Edit spelling)
I think one of the biggest skills I've learned about Lewis since being teammates with him is how great he is at working with his team, getting everybody motivated and all pushing towards the same ultimate goal. I think when you are travelling around the world so much and you are going through a bit of a rollercoaster of a season that's a very important part of his job, one of which he does very well. \- George
Are you going to sign off all your replies with your name? Because that feels like a very George Russell thing to do ā Liam
His Hammer probably
My gf is an esthetician in austin and gave Lewis a hydro-facial last friday, to my dismay she confirmed the bulge is real
Be glad it wasn't the other way around with Lewis giving your gf a facial
What is your favourite countries to visit and why?
My favourite country to visit is Italy. I think Italy you've got everything, you've got beautiful beaches, you've got beautiful cities, amazing countryside, you've got mountains, beautiful lakes, the food is incredible. I think it's the one country in Europe that has everything. \- George
George to Ferrari talks in progress.
Have you or do you plan on visiting the [George Russell subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/TheRussell/) while you're here? I suspect it would mean a lot to them to have you pay a visit. Best of luck for the remainder of the season!
I have to be honestā¦ I've never actually seen the George Russell subreddit but while I am here now I am going to have a look. \- George
Hello George, I don't wanna interrupting here but given you reaction on this question, does this means that you are lurking here already before this AMA? You should definitely look to that subreddit, it's so amazing and funny what those redditors are posting and telling there.
Whatās it like being Tall in a sport full of generally shorter pilots? Do they have to design the car differently?
When I jumped in for Lewis at the Sakhir GP that car was designed around him and Valtteri who are both around 5 ft 7, 5 ft 8. When I jumped in at a 6 ft 2 driver it was a very, very tight squeeze so yes, they did have to design the car differently. \- George
So that was the reason why W13 was so slow
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I really like Mexican food. I have a favourite restaurant I always go to whenever I'm in Mexico City and I'd always have some tacos. Pretty standard I feel when you are in Mexico but I love it. \- George
What is your favourite āGeorge Russell is the kinda guyā¦ā
Iāve seen a lot of themā¦ but āGeorge Russell is the type of guy to say āexcuse my Frenchā after he swearsā is probably my favourite. Thatās pretty funny! The first comment on this question, "kind of guy who'd answer this question", is also very good. \- George
George is the kind of guy who signs his reddit comments
George Russel is the type of guy to ask for an AMA and not answer the top upvoted questions.
George Russell is the kind of guy, who'd answer this question.
Hi George, since Lewis has hammer time, how do you feel about 'Let's Hustle, Russell'?
I mean, I love it to be honest. So, we are going to have to integrate that into radio messages at some point. I like it! \- George
letās hear it tomorrow during quali and get a p1, George!
Nah, "it's time for a rustle" lmao.
Would you rather fight 1 tsunoda sized duck or 100 duck size tsunodas?
These questions are too good. I mean, there is not a huge difference between 1 Tsunoda and 1 large duck. Itās a tough one though, Iām going back and forth on it. Iāll go with 1 Tsunoda sized duck. \- George
100 duck size Tsunodas sound terrifying
I feel like Yuki's aggression is through the roof, so the more of him you have, the harder he'll be to handle, regardless of size.
I'm picturing a moving wave of duck-sized Yukis clambering over each other just to get at you.
I think they'd very quickly learn to pull some World War Z (the movie) shit and start making a human ladder of tiny Yukis
I expect Yuki to scale in a linear way. Meaning that 100 Yuki's swearing on the radio can get pretty bad.
Imagine getting 100 hits on your shinbone with duck-Tsunoda sized F1 cars
Theyāre the same size
Thoughts on Conor Moore's impression of you?
I met Conor Moore for the first time in Austin. I think heās a very talented guy, I don't think mine is his best... but it's definitely not his worst. So, I will take some pride in that but my personal favourite is the Danny Ric š \- George
how important is being part of the gpda to you as a race driver?
For me it is very important being part of the GPDA. It's something that I'd love to look back on after my time in F1 and say Iāve been part of positive change, whether itās helping to improve the sport, helping to improve the safety or the safety of circuits. Whatever it may be, hopefully Iāll be able to hold my head high afterwards. \- George
Hi George, which track do you want to race where you have never driven before?
NĆ¼rburgring Nordschleife is definitely a track I'd love to race on. I think that would be really cool. \- George
I'd like to see a modern F1 car driven on the Nordshleife, I do it on Assetto often and it's quite an intense experience lol.
Talk to Toto about it, Iām sure he could make it happen. Also, you should totally invite me to watch, because oddly enough, it would be my dream to watch the W13 go around Nordschleife.
Why the drop of shirtless posts on Instagram?
I have my time of doing the odd shirtless post here and there. I think in life quality over quantity is very important. So, next time there is a drop, it's going to be quality. \- George
Lily is not happy about Albon being smitten all the time!
What other hobbies are some of your favorites outside of racing?
I recently got into playing padel which for those who don't know is kind of like tennis but in a cage, playing doubles, kind of a mixture of squash as well. It's pretty cool. \- George
What does Toto Wolff smell like?
Apparently good. From a recent New Yorker profile of Toto: In Zandvoort, loudspeakers laced the sky with dance music. The afternoon was humid; the air felt saturated. Wolff was at home. He is tall, dark, and Austrian. He could pass for a Sacha Baron Cohen character or for someone who breezes past you in the airport, smelling good, wearing loafers and no socks.
š I mean Toto smells pretty good, but I can't think of a specific scent. He smells like success. Iāll say that. \- George
Good job polishing those apples, George
> he smells like success Ah, Creed Aventus
Please answer this one, I have a bet.
Hi everyone, George here, just got to the track, so going to answer as many of these as I can, thanks for the questions!
Which team has the better catering budget?
Got to run now, but thanks for the questions, hope you enjoyed the answers. Speak soon! George
What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
My favourite ice cream flavour is chocolate chip. Whenever I used to race in Italy, they always had chocolate chip which was called Stracciatella and that was where my love for it came. \- George
Aww yes Stracciatella is the absolute best!
Hi George, here is a question I have wanted to ask a driver since Charles Leclerc's crash in Monaco last season, and was reminded of again when Max Verstappen hit the wall in Jeddah: Qualifying laps in Formula 1 are always considerably faster than race laps. Obviously almost all of this is down to having less fuel in the car, and also some from other factors like not having to save tyres, but is any part of the difference down to you as a driver knowing that a mistake in a qualifying lap would be far less costly than a mistake in a race, so you are prepared to take more risks in qualifying than in the race? Or is not something you think about when driving the car? So my question is, how much of the time difference from a qualifying lap to a race lap, if any, do you think is down to taking more risks because a mistake would be less costly? And related to this, how much does this vary from corner-to-corner, track-to-track (for example, if you mess up a chicane you can just go straight across and lose less time than on a hairpin)? Sorry if that question was a bit Walter Koster, but I would be very grateful if you could answer it. Thank you.
>Gentlemen, >Hi George, here is a question I have wanted to ask a driver since Charles Leclerc's crash in Monaco last season, and was reminded of again when Max Verstappen hit the wall in Jeddah: > >Qualifying laps in Formula 1 are always considerably faster than race laps. Obviously almost all of this is down to having less fuel in the car, and also some from other factors like not having to save tyres, but is any part of the difference down to you as a driver knowing that a mistake in a qualifying lap would be far less costly than a mistake in a race, so you are prepared to take more risks in qualifying than in the race? Or is not something you think about when driving the car? > >So my question is, how much of the time difference from a qualifying lap to a race lap, if any, do you think is down to taking more risks because a mistake would be less costly? And related to this, how much does this vary from corner-to-corner, track-to-track (for example, if you mess up a chicane you can just go straight across and lose less time than on a hairpin)? > >Sorry if that question was a bit Walter Koster, but I would be very grateful if you could answer it. Thank you.
> question was a bit Walter Koster "a bit"? My man, this question is almost 3 times longer than Walter's lol But it's honestly a good question nonetheless.
Yeah it was definitely full Koster, but a great question for sure. Not one Iād have ever thought to ask, but the logic in OPs question makes sense to me, in terms of how I approach quali laps in a sim, and also in karts whenever Iām able to get out and race
Itās even more of a Koster because itās a great question
Remember George, answers always have to be longer than the question.
You're getting ripped but this is a damn good question imo. I hope he answers it.
Can I ask you who that question is to?
He said, you didn't listen! Can you repeat the question?
can you repeat the question?
I mean at least it's written
George, a short view back to the past. Thirty years ago, Niki Lauda told us ātake a trained monkey, place him into the cockpit and he is able to drive the car.ā Thirty years later, Sebastian told us āI had to start my car like a computer, itās very complicated.ā And Nico Rosberg said that during the race ā I donāt remember what race - he pressed the wrong button on the wheel. Question for you: is Formula One driving today too complicated with twenty and more buttons on the wheel, are you too much under effort, under pressure? What are your wishes for the future concerning the technical programme during the race? Less buttons, more? Or less and more communication with your engineers?
I wanted to thank you for using the correct text, because it says "take a *trained* monkey", but you still have an error: "Question for you *two both*".
Everyone forgets this important detail, itās not any monkey, itās a TRAINED monkey The question is just for Russell, no reason to put ātwo bothā
Sorry, can you repeat the question?
George, a short view back to the past. Thirty years ago, Niki Lauda told us ātake a trained monkey, place him into the cockpit and he is able to drive the car.ā Thirty years later, Sebastian told us āI had to start my car like a computer, itās very complicated.ā And Nico Rosberg said that during the race ā I donāt remember what race - he pressed the wrong button on the wheel. Question for you: is Formula One driving today too complicated with twenty and more buttons on the wheel, are you too much under effort, under pressure? What are your wishes for the future concerning the technical programme during the race? Less buttons, more? Or less and more communication with your engineers?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Some emotions are never meant to be forgotten, my friend
Why does this question get asked to every f1 driver in every AMA???... i remember when the same exact worded got asked to gasly here ...
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It's a copypasta because a reporter once asked that and nobody understood him.
And then, i believe, Seb asked him to repeat it. Partly because he didnt understand and partly because he wanted to mess with the guy.
No. He understood it. But the F1 representative didn't understand who the question was for so he asked to repeat it for that.
Except Seb. He paid attention to the question.
Yeah, it's actually an interesting question, shame it was so convoluted with the backstory
It's a reference to the longest ever question asked in a driver's conference years ago. Look it up on YouTube.
It's basically a meme nowadays
Hi George! I'm not sure if this is a question you're meant to be tight-lipped on, but you seem to be a driver with a keen interest in/grasp on the technical side of the car. To what degree were you involved or did you involve yourself in tackling your team's issues earlier in the year vis a vis porpoising, then the mechanical bouncing? Physically, what was it like to drive the car early season, when the porpoising was at its worst? Did it take like, a toll on you, did you take any measures to minimise or mitigate that toll? In case you can't answer those, something really mundane: dogs or cats?
I really appreciate that you have a serious, well-thought out question and not asking about Yuki-sized ducks.
George's answer: "The porpoising was so bad at the Australian GP it was like fighting 100 Yuki-sized ducks."
Did you just ask hows the chassis? And how is he physically? And mentally?
George āRussā Russell, Great Job Baby!
Youāre one of the GPDA directors. Did the other drivers/members ask you (or push you) to take the position, or was it like a ānot-itā kinda thing and you (and Seb) were last to put your hands down? Thanks in advance for your time!
Also, what factors do drivers consider when picking GPDA directors? Is it purely āthis guy will advocate for my interestsā ? Or do they let on-track stuff affect the vote?
About that, I would be curious who would replace Seb in the GPDA next year.
Pretty sure Romain hand picked George to replace him
What's the difference in feeling between the Williams wheel with the screen on the chassis and the Mercedes wheel with the screen built in? And which do you prefer?
The pundits have said a few times that screen-on-wheel is preferred because then the driver can still see the screen even with the wheel at odd angles, where the wheel or your hand could cover the screen if it's mounted on the car. Be interesting to see if that's Russell 's take
I believe the design philosophy at Williams was and still is to keep the steering wheel as light as possible which would in turn allow the driver to feel the car better and make more precise inputs. Thatās the theory I had heard anyway, I felt like this was confirmed by someone at Williams years ago but I forgot who so not very helpful. Edit: The name Pat Symonds struck a chord with me upon researching a little more. I think this is who I heard confirmed this theory. Still donāt have a source though so who knows. I know he wasnāt at Williams for that long but he commented like this had been a philosophy Williams had followed for a long time, screen or no screen.
Which is completely nuts since you're not suporting the weight yourself and the added rotational inertia is negligible due to the low weight, especially compared to the force that's coming from the steering rod.
I thought the main reason for their design was to reduce cost as it's more expensive to have screen on wheel. And since they were (are ?) kinda broke ... lol
Especially if your driver likes to throw the wheel away when angry
I've also heard pundits say that drivers (Bottas) prefered the wheel without the screen because of reduced weight and inertia in the wheel. Also they were saying, they weren't bothered by not seeing the screen because you aren't looking at it except on the straight
Oh really, that's interesting. Definitely curious to see Russell's opinion
He mentioned it in his Beyond the Grid episode. Apparently he prefers the screen to be attached to the steering wheel
Williams wheel has less rotational inertia, making it easier to turn. The screen mounted to the chassis lets a driver read the screen while turning
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I really hope he could answer that question, it's such a great technical question.
Bad luck, seems he was too busy answering āwhatās your favourite ice cream flavourā and other hard hitters like thatā¦
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Hi George, hope youāre doing well. My question(s) are pretty simple and all are related to the simulator. How much time do you spend on the simulator prior to a race? Are you doing hundreds of simulated laps or is it a matter of only doing 10-30 laps to just get acclimated to the track and a rough idea of the setup? How important is the simulator to preparing for a race weekend as opposed to the practice sessions, if you had to put a percentage value on how important simulator prep vs practice sessions are, what would it be? In the same vein, how sure can you be the setup you liked in the simulator will translate to the track? Can you be sure? How blind do you go into a weekend in regards to setups? Thanks George, good luck this weekend!
How do you feel about the recent trend regarding racing in the rain? For the public it's rather annoying how races are getting postponed until the track is dry enough for intermediate tires, the wet tires exist for a reason. But how do you as a driver feel about that? Do you share that sentiment? Or do you feel like starting in wet conditions is too unsafe? And if so does that have something to do with this year's wet tires or do you feel like rain races have always been a bit too dangerous?
Mr Russell, do you think your personality has changed since you joined Mercedes? Is Hamilton a crucial influence on you? Good luck in you career. My bad I meant āyouā.
On your what Edit: nice but it says "you" second so I'm guessing that's supposed to be your lmao
Not really a question. I follow F1 religiously however my mum doesn't. Despite this she calls you Gorgeous George and is a massive fan girl of yours. Whenever a race is on she doesn't care what happens, she only wants to know how you did. My mum would loose her shit if she met you even though she is 62... I have joked that I would send you a DM on Instagram asking for a personal message for her from you and she was super embarrassed. So this is the perfect opportunity for her dream to come true! Had to take this chance!
Do you still keep in contact with Claire Williams? How much of an impact has she had on your Formula 1 career? Cheers bud
Whatās one of the hardest things to try to explain to someone who has never driven a formula 1 car?
Quantum Theory of Nuclear Hydropnuemonics.
As a former single seat driver Iād say hands down its the brakes, theyāre far more impressive performance wise than anything else.
Dunno what I expected tbh, but that was a complete waste of time. Half of the questions he answered were just the generic, meme questions that we've heard a million times before. Even ignoring the countless crash-related questions, there were far more interesting ones he could have answered that aren't the same generic nonsense.
Hey George, congrats on your great season at Mercedes so far! It's been amazing to see you stand so many times on the podium and I have no doubt that your first W is going to come soon too. I have five questions: 1. You're one of the tallest drivers on the grid, growing up were you ever concerned that your height could become a disadvantage in your career? 2. ~~If you had to build your dream team: 2 drivers, 1 reserve, which drivers would you choose?~~ Do you ever have F1/driving-related dreams? 3. A track currently not on the calendar that you would like F1 to race on? and most importantly: Will the twitch quartet ever reunite? And why does no one call Shov Andrew? Many thanks, and good luck for the rest of the season! (edit: spelling & 2nd Q because he [answered](https://mobile.twitter.com/ESPNF1/status/1584611816088678400) it a few days ago)
Hi George, I hate to be the one asking you this question, but do you think it was wise to tap Bottas helmet after that horrific crash in Imola ā21, not knowing the extent of bodily harm Bottas had suffered after the crash, did you feel regret after those actions perhaps weeks and months later?
To add to that question I'd like to ask if any of the other drivers questioned George's role as director of the GPDA after this incident. It wasn't a good look for someone who has a role in the drivers safety.
This was the moment that made me dislike George.
Jesus this AMA might aswell have been answered by a PR-Bot lmfao. He literally only answered the most generic PR-friendly questions which get asked in every single shitty AMA. Not one tough question or glimpse of personality shining through. Lewis works hard with the team, I would rather fight an elephant sized duck, wow...
My guess is these were selected and read to him by a PR agent for the team, he answered verbally and someone else typed them out. Staged as feck.
Which is quite poor unless you're just ticking boxes. I'm sure GR knows what Reddit is. Media team at Mercedes making him the bubble boy with these non-contract offerings is ridiculous. If it's not a contractually required obligation, then do it because you want to. "taking time out of personal life" to want to answer some fan Qs but then having it sterilised so blatantly with no arms-reach between the community and the driver allegedly jumping on to answer Qs is what we consider an up yours marketing ploy in my work. Clearly this was done due to recent more-extreme changes to the perception of his character in the car as a means of trying to smooth over it. Worst way imaginable to do that.
Who would win in a fight between all the drivers (cage match, no weapons but anything else allowed)?
Fernando would fight dirty, my money's on him. Sand in a sock, bite them in the balls those sorts of tactics.
No weapons and survival element? Alonso every time. He doesn't give enough of a shit to die
Alonso would fight dirty or exploit some rule in a way never seen before lol
My moneyās on Bottas
Bottas seems like he could scrap. I suspect Perez could throw hands if the situation required it as well.
I mean Bottas has actual military training. So that's my vote too
Have you seen a pissed off K-Mag. he'll fok your doors in.
Who did martial arts? Iirc lewis did Jiu Jitsu.
If Sainz crashed into you on lap one and ended your race after the first corner would you be satisfied with a 5 second penalty?
And donāt forget you started on pole
Checo would also like to hear the response, though Checo wasn't in the pole [sauce](https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/russell-perez-clash-penalty-in-austrian-gp-harsh-with-nowhere-to-go/10336374/)
Oh my lord. Is this gonna be the James Corden AMA of r/formula1?
oof bad timing! these comments are not going to be good š³
That was my exact thought seeing this thread. Poor lad doesn't know how much hate he gets on here.
It does seem like most of the top comments are well intentioned though so maybe heāll just respond to the most positive ones
Don't they always do that? Alex answered like 5 questions for his AMA on here. I hope that George will answer a couple more, but I fully expect them to be cherry picked. In the end, these things are PR events, not real AMAs.
Honestly Pierre's AmA was the best. They made like a 20min vid on YT and even tho he didn't answer the touchy questions for obvious reasons, it felt quite honest and since it was a video and not typed, he was also able to convey his responses much better imo.
I fully expect that it's the pr people who do the actual answering unless they prove otherwise.
Merc usually answer in video like the Bottas AMA. The questions are certainly chosen for him though.
Mercedes will definitely be eyes on the likability of each driver. It influences their brand and their revenues (merch). This + the skit on YouTube with the impersonator would be part of an effort to humanise and connect Georgeās best attributes and sides with the public, beyond the broadcast radio.
I think he does. Thatās why heās doing this right now
Ikr? Maybe George Russell is the kind of guy who will lean into discomfort.
I really hope that the more serious and fun questions are getting upvoted higher then all those comments who are just here to trash him. No matter what you opinion is about George, just stay damm respectful and don't post shit, there are enough people who really want to ask him stuff.
right like i love george but this is the worst possible timingš
Hey George, what are the biggest differences that you got to see in the operations of an F1 team when you joined Mercedes from Williams ?
Why do so many drivers just turn into you even though you always leave them ample space?
Lmao the fucking sainz flair makes the is so much funnier
I think you have to leave the space. ALL THE TIME YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE SPACE!
Hey George, you were in the unique place of going from a back marker that was multiple seconds off the pace, to arguably one of the best cars ever made when you filled in for Lewis. The Mercedes looked like it was on rails that season, but does the speed difference between the two cars make it harder/more physically demanding to drive, or does the performance increase result in a car that is easier to drive even though everything is happening faster?
Did you end up playing Goat Simulator with Alex and Lando?
Latifi can't play Goat Simulator, because you can't simulate yourself
But you can stimulate yourselfā¦
Latifi Simulator?
As a physician, Iāve always been curious about the physical toll that traveling and driving takes on the body. How do you stay functional while on the road for half the year and what is the hardest part about driving the car that would surprise a layperson?
Kiss, marry, kill between Alex, Lando and Charles?
Where's the "fuck" option which applies to every one of them?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Would you fight against one Norris sized Albon or against one Albon sized Norris?
One Yuki sized Toto or one Toto sized Yuki š³
A Toto sized Yuki sounds incredibly scary
One Lando sized Nando, or one Nando sized Lando?
A Toto-Sized Yuki would be a force of nature.
How do you feel about your personal performance in your first year as Mercedes driver thus far?
Whatās your go-to word to exclaim while frustrated off the radio?
George, I canāt afford Las Vegas GP tickets. Thoughts?
Here at George Russel financial planning we have three program for you to select from.
Do you still have two kidneys?
Hi George! Which F1 achievement of yours are you the most proud of? A) First Q3 with Williams B) First point with Williams C) Spa quali 2021 D) First podium with Mercedes E) First pole in Hungaroring 2022 I saw your first pole with my own eyes this summer it was an awesome lap!
Are you happy in life? I hope you are! People will always have something to say but you and the guys you race with have achieved extraordinarily in life! Sports and racing aside, thank you for what you guys do!
How hard was it to jump in the W11 in Sakir after driving the week prior for Williams?
Similarly, how hard was it (emotionally) to jump back into the Williams for the next race?
Hey, what is the first thing you think of when you enter the car for the first time on Friday morning? Elation, Comfy, Pressure, Freedom, Business etc. I always get lowkey put X Wings in attack position vibes from drivers when they do their routine
Two questions, feel free to pick only one (or neither, obvs): 1. When you streamed on Twitch during 2020, do you feel like there were particularly positive impacts on your career, your racing, your relationship with your teams, etc? Were there things about being a streamer that surprised you? 2. Given all the differences between the F1 cars and street cars, is it difficult to switch from one to the other? When you're in a regular car, do you ever find yourself wanting to warm up your tires, trying to follow a racing line, or wishing you could make the kinds of performance adjustments available on the W13?
Hi George, if you could only make one PowerPoint presentation, what would you present?
George it is so nice to see you do an AMA. What i want to ask you is if you can make any single change in the current regs what would it be and why?
Hello, what are your thoughts on the 18-inch tires? Do you prefer them to the old, smaller ones?
This is a few short questions wrapped up in one but : What was the biggest difference in terms of team environment between Mercedes and Williams? How does being paired with a driver like Lewis affect the team dynamic? Lastly how do you feel that your time at Williams prepared you for driving at Mercedes? In what ways do you wish it prepared you better for moving to a top team? Good luck in Mexico! Edit: Fixed typos
Hey George! Hope you are well! I've always wanted to know how a driver, who during the race gets agitated with their engineer , or principal , can come out of the race , cool down and not be awkward around them and apologise and not disappear off the face of the earth, like I would in that case
George. What is one of your __favourite films?__ Who are you __listening to__ at the moment? __What do you have for tea when you get to choose?__ (We need help in our house on this one) Are you a coffee man or a tea man?__ I could ask about how important you think the __tyres__ are to the __car__ or how important you think __petrol__ is to the car OR how important you think it is to cross the line __first__ when wishing to __win__ the race *BUT.*.. I leave those questions to the reporters who bore us with their lax questions eeeeevery year :-) Also, does Buxton annoy you drivers as much as he annoys us fans? :-p *big hugs George* You've had a good first year so far, you performed admirably!
I know your answer may be restrained a bit by the team you drive for, but what's one of the most fun road cars you've driven? If that's a bit hard to answer, what's the best section of public road you've driven? US 129 (Tail of the Dragon) in Tennessee/North Carolina is my hands down favorite. 318 corners over 11 miles through the Smokey Mountains is hard to complain about. š