.png)
KUALA LUMPUR – George Russell may have never raced a Formula One (F1) car around Sepang, but the Mercedes driver reckons he has already done the homework - courtesy of a PlayStation controller.
As Mercedes prepares for F1's long-awaited return to the Sepang International Circuit for the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, Russell revealed that the Malaysian track has been familiar territory since his childhood.
Just not quite in three dimensions.
“Sepang was actually my favourite circuit as a kid when I used to drive on the PlayStation,” Russell told reporters during a Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One press conference here, today.
So while Friday’s first practice session will mark his first real-life F1 lap around the 5.543km circuit, Russell believes all those virtual laps may come in handy.
“I’m sort of really looking forward to coming back and hopefully those experiences under control will help me go a bit faster this weekend,” he said.
Talk about taking childhood gaming a little too seriously.
But Russell’s nostalgia aside, there is a much bigger prize waiting at the end of those laps.
The Briton arrives in Malaysia with momentum after a commanding Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory, a result that has tightened the gap to Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Russell said the Mercedes package gives both drivers a strong platform heading into their first F1 race at Sepang, even against rivals who have previously tackled the circuit.
“I think we’re very fortunate that we have the best chassis and power unit beneath us, which should give us the advantage over these drivers who have been here before,” Russell said.
He was quick, however, to add a dose of reality.
“Of course, the competition is always very tough,” he said.
Sepang is hardly a circuit that hands out freebies. The track combines long straights, fast corners and slower hairpins, while Malaysia’s heat, humidity and famously unpredictable rain can turn a comfortable-looking race into a very different beast.
F1 has described the conditions as an additional challenge for drivers returning to Sepang after a nine-year absence.
The championship visits the Malaysian circuit from this Friday (Oct 2) to Sunday (Oct 4).
Sepang is hosting the event under the Bahrain Grand Prix name, marking F1’s first race at the venue since 2017.
