George Russell was left "speechless" by the unique present from Malaysian F1 supporters.
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Formula 1 has made its return to the Sepang International Circuit for the first time in nine years, and this homecoming brought a special surprise for Mercedes driver George Russell. A video shared on the team's social media this week captures Russell holding a scrapbook so substantial it appears to belong in a library. The creators of this gift refer to themselves as 'Team GR63, Malaysia', and judging by his expression, they certainly delivered.
In the clip, Russell is seated with his team, showcasing a blue folder filled with handwritten messages, illustrations, and photographs from fans.
"This is a book I’ve received from Team GR63, Malaysia," he states as he takes in the contents.
Before the footage from the motorhome, the video transitions to earlier in the day when the scrapbook was presented. A group of supporters wearing matching turquoise Mercedes caps approached Russell at the entrance of his garage and handed him the folder.
"Oh, wow. Thank you," he responds before the scene shifts back to him in the Mercedes motorhome.
Mercedes’ return to Malaysia after almost a decade clearly resonated with local fans, and Team GR63 gathered the handwritten notes, artwork, and photos into a meaningful keepsake for Russell.
Leafing through it left him speechless
Russell continues to turn the pages before he elaborates on its contents.
"And we’ve got so many messages from fans in here, so it’s... it's amazing. This has all been crafted by hand. There are written notes, some computer-generated items, drawings. It’s very touching. It feels surreal. It really feels surreal and... yeah, I’m a bit lost for words, to be honest.
"Just look at the size of this book. It’s remarkable. It’s absolutely remarkable."
Mercedes faced challenges with tyre degradation during FP1 and FP2 on Friday in Malaysia. As the team aims to tackle the heat as the weekend progresses, the warmth from the fans has undoubtedly uplifted Russell ahead of his return to the car on Saturday.
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