In a lighthearted moment during the Italian Grand Prix weekend, George Russell playfully joked about momentarily mistaking Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz for a “McDonald’s employee” due to the striking resemblance between the Ferrari drivers’ race suits and the iconic fast-food chain’s uniforms.
The banter arose as Ferrari unveiled a special livery for their home race, paying tribute to their racing heritage, including the victorious Ferrari 499P Hypercar at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The unique livery featured yellow V stripes on the nose cone and engine cover of the SF-23, mirroring the design of the Ferrari 499P Hypercar.
Complementing this distinctive look, the drivers’ race suits sported a predominantly red colour with yellow sleeves, prompting fans on social media to draw comparisons to the McDonald’s colour scheme.
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During an interview, as Carlos Sainz and other members of the Ferrari team passed behind him, George Russell couldn’t resist a playful quip: “I thought that was a McDonald’s employee for a second. Is this live? I hope not.” The light-hearted comment added a touch of humour to the race weekend.
George Russell’s jest came in the backdrop of a competitive Italian Grand Prix, where he finished in fifth place. In a race dominated by Red Bull Racing, with Max Verstappen securing victory and Sergio Perez following closely behind, Russell’s Mercedes had to contend with the Red Bull duo and the Ferrari teammates.
Sergio Perez, starting behind the Ferraris and Russell on the grid, faced a challenge in overtaking them to secure second place. Russell proved to be a formidable opponent, frustrating Perez for several laps.
Reflecting on the battle, Russell shared his thoughts with the media: “I was surprised how long it took Checo to pass with the superior pace of that car.
“They were so fast in the high-speed corners, we saw it yesterday [qualifying], probably a factor into their better tire degradation than the rest of us.
“But I was really pleased to hold him off for that long and felt good and confident under braking into Turn 1.”
He further added, “There’s something satisfying about it when you do manage to hold a car off like that for so long.
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“So I take a small positive in that there was no mistake from my side in those laps, but unfortunately, the pace just wasn’t there.”
The Italian Grand Prix allowed Ferrari to close the gap in the Constructors’ Standings, moving up to P3, just behind the Silver Arrows.
While Red Bull, at this stage, looks guaranteed to win both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles, the battle between the other teams remains fierce.