Copyright dailystar
George Russell had Formula 1 fans in fits of laughter after sharing what he did during the first practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The Brit had a rare chance to relax during an official F1 session, as he handed over his car to reserve driver Frederik Vesti, helping Mercedes meet their annual target for rookie appearances. Russell could have spent the entire hour watching from the garage, but instead chose to get a closer look at the action on the track. The 27-year-old took to social media to reveal how he had sneaked into the famous stadium section at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Of course, Russell would have been instantly recognised if he had tried to stroll into the stand without a disguise. So, he donned a large coat and a Mexican lucha libre mask to ensure he remained incognito while observing how Vesti was performing in his car. In a behind-the-scenes video shared on social media, Russell said: "Someone is borrowing my car and I've not seen an F1 car on track for a long, long time, so let's go." As he walked through the Mercedes garage, he mentioned needing "some sort of disguise", before pulling out the mask and putting it on, reports the Express . Someone then tossed him a jacket so he could hide his Mercedes polo shirt, minimising the risk of being recognised. A member of the Mercedes social media crew was beside him in the grandstand, filming as he gestured towards Vesti navigating the stadium section and exclaimed: "That's my car! He's in my car!". Exiting the stadium section, Russell trotted past a cluster of supporters and remarked: "He's a good driver," with the bewildered group clearly oblivious to who had just addressed them. It was only when he headed back towards the paddock and pulled off his mask that several other fans applauded and whipped out their phones to snap pictures. "I enjoyed that a lot, to be honest," Russell continued. "I haven't seen F1 cars on track for years and years, so it was cool. I got to see what everyone else sees." Reacting to social media posts about his escapade, supporters expressed their delight at Russell's prank. "George, this is diabolical," one entertained fan commented. Another declared: "This is just so iconic." A third observed: "Imagine sitting there and George Russell was next to you." Vesti clocked up 32 laps during the session, a higher tally than most, and finished 14th on the timesheets. Kimi Antonelli was the most active driver, completing an impressive 35 laps, with his best lap securing him second place. Only Charles Leclerc outpaced him, starting the weekend off strongly in his Ferrari.
