George Russell responds to booing after Kimi Antonelli Italian GP battle

George Russell was not surprised to have been subjected to booing by the tifosi following the Italian Grand Prix.

Boos were directed towards Russell on two occasions during the podium ceremony. It came after home hero, and Mercedes teammate, Kimi Antonelli overtook Russell to win the Italian Grand Prix. There was a minor scare along the way to that result, however.

George Russell claims tifosi booing to be ‘expected’

An enthralling Italian Grand Prix reached its crescendo in the form of a two-driver battle for the win. It was Antonelli versus Russell.

Mercedes split strategies under a Virtual Safety Car, meaning Antonelli had fresh medium tyres for the final stint. Russell did not pit, so remained on his hard tyres until the end.

Antonelli successfully caught and passed Russell for the lead, at the second attempt. Take one saw Russell defend at the opening chicane, as Antonelli understeered off into the gravel.

“What the f**k happened there?” Antonelli exclaimed over team radio. Both drivers were told to “keep it clean.”

Such was his pace advantage, Antonelli quickly recovered from that setback, and made the pass which secured him a remarkable victory in front of his home crowd, having started from the tenth row of the grid due to engine penalties.

During the podium ceremony, loud boos could be heard from the tifosi directed towards Russell, as he walked out onto the podium.

Further, more subtle booing was heard when Russell lifted his P2 trophy in celebration.

That moment which saw Antonelli in the gravel appeared the only logical trigger for that booing. However, Russell believes it was nothing surprising from the home crowd.

It did not get to him.

“I mean, obviously when you’re racing in somebody else’s home country, that’s to be expected,” he said of the booing.

“So, yeah, smirked it off.”

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Antonelli was asked whether he could hear the tifosi home support from his Mercedes, having delivered the kind of comeback drive which makes a crowd erupt.

“No, definitely not,” he confirmed.

That being said, Antonelli believes that the tifosi helped him to unlock another level at Monza, as he added a home win to his growling list of Formula 1 accomplishments.

“But I could see it out of the first chicane with the side of my eye,” he continued.

“But no, definitely I couldn’t hear it. Luckily our cars still make decent noise! I mean, if you hear the fans while driving, then it’s a big problem.

“I think definitely the fans gave that little bit extra to push more.

“For sure, the support has been great this weekend.

“Definitely, seeing the grandstand cheering every lap, for sure it gave that little bit of extra to push more and to try and do even better to win it.”

Antonelli now the leads the Drivers’ Championship by 66 points from Russell ahead of this week’s first visit to the Madring, the new home of the Spanish Grand Prix.

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