A handful of fans in matching turquoise Mercedes caps had been waiting at the garage door with a thick blue folder. They call themselves Team GR63, Malaysia, and the folder they had put together was heavy with handwritten notes, sketches and photographs collected from supporters across the country.
Russell, 28, flicked through the pages and admitted on camera, in footage published by Motorsport.com, that he could not quite find the words.
“This has all been handmade. There’s written notes, some things on computer, drawings. It’s very sweet. It’s really surreal, bit lost for words, to be honest. Look at the size of this book. It’s incredible. It’s absolutely incredible,” he said.
His first reaction, as the folder was handed over, was simpler.
“Oh, wow. Thank you,” he said.
Sepang after nine years
The timing explains some of the emotion. Formula 1 had not raced at the Sepang International Circuit since 2017, a race Max Verstappen won, and this weekend’s event is officially badged as the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with Sakhir handing its slot to the Malaysian venue for one weekend.
A Mercedes driver walking back into the paddock here is a reminder of how long local fans have waited. Team GR63 chose a homecoming moment to deliver something a driver cannot buy at the merchandise stand.
A season spent chasing his own teammate
Russell has reason to appreciate a warm welcome. He won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku last weekend, his third victory of the year, but he arrives in Malaysia 66 points behind teammate Kimi Antonelli, who leads the drivers’ championship on 302 points after 15 of 23 rounds.
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On track on Friday, Mercedes brought their first major upgrade package since May, a new floor, rear suspension and rear corner, and Russell put the car second in opening practice, 0.383 seconds behind Verstappen on a 1:37.520. The afternoon session was tougher. Charles Leclerc went fastest in second practice, Russell slipped to seventh at +0.492s, and Lewis Hamilton was placed under post-session investigation for impeding Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto.
Qualifying at Sepang is on Saturday, 3 October, with the race on Sunday, 4 October.
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