Mercedes confirm what illness George Russell is suffering from at Azerbaijan GP

Mercedes have shed light on the illness that has been plaguing their star driver, George Russell, at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The British racer has been under the weather since his arrival in Baku, even missing his media day duties on Thursday, which at the time cast doubt over his participation for the rest of the weekend.

Despite his ailment, Russell was deemed fit enough to take part in practice and then qualifying on Saturday. However, radio messages relayed back to his Mercedes team during these sessions revealed the extent of his struggle, with his voice sounding, as Sky Sports pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz described it, "rougher than a badger's behind".

Russell has continued to be absent from his media duties, not appearing to speak to reporters after Friday's practice run, nor did he address the written press after qualifying. His absence from such activities sparked online speculation that the Brit might be battling Covid.

Kravitz posed this question to Mercedes and, on his post-qualifying Ted's Notebook show, disclosed the team's response. He stated: " George Russell, does he have Covid? I've asked the team and no, he doesn't. He has a respiratory infection. It's not Covid, it's a respiratory infection.

"Why, then, is he not doing any media? We haven't heard from him all weekend and he hasn't appeared at the drivers' briefing, because he doesn't want to infect people, apparently. I thought Covid was a respiratory infection? Anyway, apparently it's not Covid. George isn't well and is battling through."

Kravitz continued to highlight that reserve driver Valtteri Bottas is in Baku, yet hasn't been called upon despite Russell clearly not being at his peak. He added: "And if you're Valtteri Bottas, you'll think, 'Well, how ill does a driver need to be for me to stand in for them? Do they basically need to be on a drip?'.

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"Poor George Russell and Valtteri Bottas. If Valtteri could have stepped in for George then he could have wiped clean that penalty on his record and wouldn't have to carry it into Cadillac next year. Anyway, that's what's happening with George Russell, he's soldiering on bravely, despite battling a respiratory infection."

Russell's performance has so far vindicated the team's decision not to bench their driver and bring in Bottas. Despite sounding unwell, he was still fast in practice and managed to navigate through the chaos to secure the fifth fastest time in qualifying.

However, this marked only the second time all year that he has been out-qualified for a Grand Prix by young rookie team-mate Kimi Antonelli. The teenager responded well to being criticised by Toto Wolff at Monza two weeks ago by booking his place on the second row for the start of the Baku race.

Max Verstappen took pole position, navigating a chaotic session which was red-flagged six times – a new Formula 1 record. Championship leader Oscar Piastri crashed in Q3 and will start ninth, though rival Lando Norris could not take advantage and qualified only two places higher in seventh.