“This is so embarrassing”: fans react to Mercedes video
Mercedes’ commanding win at the Japanese Grand Prix was overshadowed by an unexpected wave of criticism online after the team հրապարակ a behind-the-scenes debrief video from Suzuka.
While Kimi Antonelli delivered a standout performance on track, much of the post-race conversation quickly shifted to the team’s social media activity.
Antonelli converted pole position into victory, finishing 13.7 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. However, the race was far from straightforward. The 19-year-old dropped several positions off the line and was forced to fight his way back through the field in the opening laps.
A turning point came when a safety car was deployed following Ollie Bearman’s high-speed crash. Mercedes used the opportunity to bring Antonelli into the pits, allowing him to rejoin in the lead a position he held comfortably to the chequered flag.
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The result marked a significant milestone, with Antonelli becoming the first teenager to lead the Formula 1 drivers’ championship.
On the other side of the garage, George Russell endured a more frustrating race. After starting near the front, he lost ground early and later encountered further setbacks.
Mercedes opted to pit Russell just before the safety car period, a timing decision that ultimately worked against him. Shortly after the restart, he was overtaken by Lewis Hamilton, and an electrical software issue then caused a loss of power, dropping him behind Charles Leclerc.
Although Russell recovered one position, he was unable to mount a successful challenge for a podium finish and crossed the line in fourth.
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Following the race, Mercedes shared a video on its official social media channels showing Russell and team principal Toto Wolff discussing the result.
In the clip, Russell said: “That was a terrible day. The starts again, not good enough.”
Reflecting on the issues during the race, he added: “It's just annoying, all the little niggles we had after,” and later remarked: “It's just like somebody from above was not going to let us.”
Wolff responded: “It was like you said - that's how the game goes.”
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The video quickly gained traction online, particularly on X, where fans questioned the decision to publish such a candid debrief in the immediate aftermath of the race.
Some responses were sharply critical. One user wrote: “Go fix the car instead of this and then both the fans and George will be happy,” while another commented: “This is so embarrassing.”
Others suggested the timing of the post was misjudged, with one fan describing it as “the most shameless thing to post after your back-to-back disasters.”
Despite Antonelli’s victory, the reaction highlighted growing scrutiny of Mercedes’ performances and communication as the season continues.
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Sources: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team (social media), fan reactions on X
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