"I try and live as normal life as I can"- Mercedes' George Russell on how getting 'famous' hasn't affected him much

George Russell has said that he tries to live his life as normally as possible. The Mercedes driver has seen his popularity rise to a whole new level this season.

He has been consistent, secured multiple podiums, and even has a pole position to his name. He has fared well against Lewis Hamilton who can be a daunting teammate.

In a recent appearance at the 'Beyond the Grid' podcast, Russell was asked if he's able to live a normal life, considering his recent rise to fame.

"I don't know, I still feel like a normal person," said Russell. "If somebody asked me, 'Are you famous?', I'd say, 'Not really, no', but then if I asked somebody else, or if I asked my friends if they thought I was famous, they'd probably say yes. It's unique, and it's different being recognised on the street, and people stopping at restaurants, especially around F1 weekends – it's incredible to see the support."

Russell added that looking from the outside, the kind of lifestyle an F1 driver lives can seem spectacular, but he tries to keep things as normal as he possibly can. He said:

"But, I'm 24 years old, I try and live as normal life as I can, relatively speaking, bearing in mind that the sport I do is incredible, and I feel so grateful and privileged to be in this position. You're flying around the world, driving a Formula 1 car in front of hundreds of thousands of fans. I guess it's pretty spectacular."

One of the perils of fame is that fans come up with weird requests. George Russell said that he has received a few from fans recently. However, there was a level of appreciation from the Mercedes driver, as he understood the sentiment behind that. He said:

"I've had people asking me to sign body parts or weird things, and I've had a few random gifts along the way. There are no standout ones that have been, 'Wow, that's a little bit strange', but it's great, and I really appreciate it.

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My mum loves these gifts - George Russell

George Russell has said that he does get weird gifts at times, and his flat does not have enough space, so most of those presents go to his family home.

The Mercedes driver said that his mother loves going through these gifts, though. He said:

"I had a book sent to me recently from loads of fans. I had loads of notes and letters in there, and to be honest, I go through all of it, because at the end of the day, without the fans, the sport is nothing. My mum loves these things as well. I don't have space in my flat to keep it all, so they go to my family home, and my mum is probably up all night reading everything."

George Russell has had a spectacular start to life at Mercedes. The driver has a strong haul of points and has proven himself to be a capable successor to Lewis Hamilton. Currently, he leads his illustrious compatriot (146) by 12 points in the driver's standings.