George Russell Speaks Out On Social Media 'Hate And Negativity'

Formula 1 driver George Russell raises awareness about the prevalence of negativity on social media and its detrimental impact on athletes' mental health.

Jun 9, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Mercedes driver George Russell (GBR) salutes the crowd during the drivers parade of the Canadien Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports / David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

Mercedes Formula 1 driver George Russell recently revealed his concerns about the dark side of social media during an interview with The Athletic.

According to the British driver, around 50% of the interactions and feedback on social media platforms are negative. He commented:

"There’s a lot of hate and negativity. And it’s almost impossible to avoid. It doesn’t matter who it’s about, I’d say 50 percent of the time it’s negative, I find that quite tough to comprehend."

The fluctuations in public perception represent a continual challenge for athletes, where praise can quickly turn into harsh criticism. Discussing his personal experiences, Russell described the volatile nature of public perception, which swings dramatically. He continued:

"This sport swings so quickly. One minute you’re a hero, the next you’re zero, and it can swing as quickly as from FP3 to qualifying or from race to race. I’ve been in a position where I’ve been on a roll for a couple of races, and then suddenly, the next race, I’m off the pace. And it’s like, ’S—, how am I dealing with this?’ What’s going on? And most of the time, it’s up in your head."

The Mercedes driver also opened up on dealing with racing setbacks, commenting:

“I feel like I’m able to bounce back very quickly from a tough weekend or even a tough session.

“You learn as you get older what you need as an individual. It doesn’t work for everyone; Lewis and I are two very different characters as well, and we do things differently. You’ve just got to find what works for you.”

Current F1 Drivers' Standings

1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull - 277 points
2. Lando Norris, McLaren - 199 points
3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari - 177 points
4. Oscar Piastri, McLaren - 167 points
5. Carlos Sainz, Ferrari - 162 points
6. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 150 points
7. Sergio Pérez, Red Bull - 131 points
8. George Russell, Mercedes - 116 points
9. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin - 49 points
10. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin - 24 points
11. Nico Hülkenberg, Haas - 22 points
12. Yuki Tsunoda , RB- 22 points
13. Daniel Ricciardo, RB - 12 points
14. Oliver Bearman, Haas - 6 points
15. Pierre Gasly, Alpine - 6 points
16. Kevin Magnussen, Haas - 5 points
17. Esteban Ocon, Alpine - 5 points
18. Alexander Albon, Williams - 4 points
19. Zhou Guanyu, Sauber - 0 points
20. Logan Sargeant, Williams - 0 points
21. Valtteri Bottas, Sauber - 0 points