George Russell is anticipating a stormy qualifying session at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where narrow confines and heavy traffic could spell disaster for even the smallest lapse in timing. The Briton, who surrendered his Mercedes seat during FP1 to Fred Vesti, used the rare break to mingle among fans in Mexico’s iconic Foro Sol — donning a lucha libre mask to blend into the vibrant crowd undetected. For a moment, the intensity of Formula 1 gave way to anonymity and pure spectacle.
Reflecting on the experience, Russell admitted how unusual it felt to spectate rather than drive. “When you’re an F1 driver, you never really get to watch F1,” he said with a laugh. “It’s rare to be in the stands, and I thought, why not do something normal? Hardly anyone recognized me, and I genuinely enjoyed it.” Yet, that brief escape didn’t dull his competitive instincts, as he quickly turned his focus to the immense challenge of qualifying on a circuit infamous for its tight margins and chaotic traffic flow.
Russell emphasized that Mexico’s short and technical layout leaves no room for error. “It’s one of the shortest tracks of the season, and that final sector — slow, narrow, and twisty — is pure madness during qualifying,” he warned. With slower cars using multiple tyre sets in early sessions, the risk of congestion and compromised laps looms large. “You can’t afford much margin. If you want to save tyres for Q3, you have to make every lap count — and that’s easier said than done,” he explained.
Upon returning to his cockpit in FP2, Russell wasted no time getting up to speed, clocking the sixth-fastest lap — a mere four-tenths shy of Max Verstappen. His rookie teammate, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, turned heads by securing third, a promising sign for Mercedes as they continue their late-season resurgence. “On single-lap pace, we’re in decent shape,” Russell admitted. “Lando looked strong on his long runs, but qualifying will decide everything. The top eight cars are incredibly close, so every millisecond will matter.”
As teams brace for Saturday’s high-pressure showdown, the stage is set for one of the most unpredictable qualifying sessions of the year. With traffic, tyre management, and razor-thin gaps between competitors, chaos is almost inevitable. For Russell and Mercedes, the mission is clear — stay calm in the storm, execute flawlessly, and seize a front-row position before the real battle unfolds on race day in Mexico City.
