FORMULA ONE driver Lando Norris says joining Mercedes has sucked the fun out of childhood pal George Russell.
The two Brits grew up racing each other in Karting and have continued battling it out on race tracks – but this time in F1 cars.
Norris and Russell grew up racing against each other
Russell and Norris both impressed in their debut seasons in the sport back in 2019.
But ever since Russell’s 2022 call-up to Mercedes’ main roster alongside seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, Norris says he doesn’t he doesn’t “see as fun a side” to his pal anymore.
Norris says drivers “get shaped” and are stripped of their personality depending on what teams they’re racing for and who they’re surrounding themselves with.
As quoted by the Independent, Norris said: “My manager, my trainer, my parents, have always tried to keep me as me, rather than try to shape me.
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“I see other drivers get shaped more because of who they are with, the teams they are with, and I don’t think that is a good thing. It takes away their personality.
“Growing up with George for instance, was a lot of fun.
“He was a great person, but it is different at Mercedes – a different vibe and a different atmosphere. I just don’t see as fun a side of him.”
Norris puts Russell’s change down to the pressure of racing for Merc.
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But he is confident Russell will be more popular if he rediscovers his “fun” former self.
He continued: “George is a great person, and I feel like the personality he had a few years ago, he would be even more popular.
“I don’t think it is Mercedes’ fault but the pressure of being with Mercedes, and having Lewis as a team-mate, is never going to be an easy thing.
“You don’t want to be seen to be having a fun time and playing around, but on the other side there are no complaints because George is doing an amazing job this year, so it is working for him.”
