George Russell went full incognito at the Mexico City Grand Prix — and for once, the disguise wasn’t a new front wing.
With Mercedes reservist Frederik Vesti taking over the W16 for the mandated rookie outing in FP1, Russell grabbed a Lucha Libre mask, headed for the grandstands and watched the session like any other fan.
“Someone’s borrowing my car and I haven’t seen an F1 car on track for a long time, so let’s go,” he said in a behind-the-scenes clip before sprinting off, mask on, a member of the Mercedes crew in tow. He found a spot in the crowd, pointed at the silver car and deadpanned: “That’s my car. He’s in my car.”
The stunt worked. Most nearby fans had no idea they were sitting next to a Mercedes race winner until Russell slipped back into the paddock. It was a rare slice of normality on a Friday for a driver who spends his life making the spectacle rather than watching it.
“Being an F1 driver means you never get to actually watch F1,” Russell told reporters later. “I wanted to do something semi-normal, and I didn’t get recognised too much. I enjoyed it.”
He was back in uniform for FP2 and slotted into sixth, around four tenths off pace-setter Max Verstappen. On a short lap here, that margin isn’t much — and the timesheets backed that up. The top 16 were covered by less than a second, a familiar Mexico City squeeze that promises a busy qualifying day.
“It’s close out there,” Russell said. “Single-lap, I think we look okay. Lando looked very quick on his long run — that’s been the theme. But qualifying is so important, so it’s all eyes on that tomorrow. It’ll be tight between the top eight cars.”
Vesti’s FP1 appearance ticked off one of Mercedes’ required young driver sessions, and it came on a weekend that already matters for the Constructors’ picture. Mercedes arrive in Mexico sitting second in the standings with Ferrari in hot pursuit — a lead that feels flimsy when one bad Saturday can swing momentum.
For Russell, the day’s headline wasn’t just about lap times. It was a rare chance to soak up the atmosphere he normally only hears from inside a helmet — the whistles, the drum beats, the gasp when a car twitches through Turn 1. And if it took a wrestling mask to make it happen, well, when in Mexico.
Officially, the outing netted him a fresh read on track evolution and how the field stacks up. Unofficially, it was a reminder that even those on the grid still love the show.
Watch Russell’s undercover adventure here:
Haven’t watched F1 cars on track in years, so found a way to sneak into the stands while Fred was driving my car 🎭🤣
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63)October 24, 2025
He’ll swap the mask for a visor on Saturday, where the margins shrink and the elbows come out. If Friday’s long runs are anything to go by, McLaren might have the edge over a stint — but qualifying could be a dogfight. And this time, Russell won’t need a disguise to get a front-row seat.
