F1Briefings

George Russell's 'Borderline Heatstroke' During Singapore GP Revealed In New Footage

Saajan Jogia

Mercedes

Recently surfaced footage on X has revealed the extreme heat endured by the Formula 1 drivers during the Singapore Grand Prix, including Mercedes driver George Russell, who struggled to walk between the cars in Parc Ferme.

Mercedes witnessed an extremely challenging race at the Marina Bay circuit after Russell started and finished the race in the fourth position, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton, despite starting third, ultimately crossed the finish line in sixth.

The team demonstrated a strong resurgence in the last few races leading to the summer break, but it once again faces challenges pertaining to its W15 F1 car. Despite switching to its winning form for the first time since the inception of the ground effect era in 2022, the Brackley outfit is yet to master the balance on its title contender.

However, during the Singapore GP, it wasn't the car that was the topic of concern, but the scorching temperature that hovered around 32 degrees Celsius. Making the situation more extreme was the humidity, which crossed the 70% mark.

Russell remarked on the team radio that he felt like he was in a sauna. Several drivers made little errors in the second half of the 62-lap race due to fatigue from the heat, including race winner Lando Norris, who brushed the wall on several occasions but was lucky enough not to encounter severe damage on his McLaren MCL38. In the post-race interview with former F1 driver David Coulthard, Norris mentioned he was short of breath and admitted feeling dizzy, prompting Coulthard to pour water over him.

Meanwhile, in Parc Ferme, Russell struggled to walk beside Valtteri Bottas' Sauber C44, relying on the support of the car to steady himself.

However, it wasn’t just Russell who struggled with the heat, Hamilton was also significantly affected. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff elaborated on this in an interview following the race. As reported by PlanetF1.com, he said:

“They did not feel well, borderline heatstroke or something like that but they have had water. They would not have been able to go to the (media) pen.

“There were no bad feelings or any annoyance.

“It is just that we had the doctors with them. But they are all good.”

Russell and Hamilton were excused from post-race media obligations, as Mercedes issued a statement on Sunday confirming that both drivers were recovering “from the exertions of this evening’s race.” Fortunately, both drivers seemed okay in a video posted by the team on X, showing a staff member delivering a plate of food to them in the team’s hospitality.

The Singapore Grand Prix brought back memories of a more extreme Qatar Grand Prix from 2023, where Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll complained of being dizzy mid-race, and Alpine's Esteban Ocon threw up inside his helmet due to the heat. Meanwhile, former Williams driver Logan Sargeant was forced to retire after feeling unwell.

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Saajan Jogia

SAAJAN JOGIA

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