George Russell explains viral Charles Leclerc F1 British GP cooldown room moment

George Russell has shed some mild on an amusing second with Charles Leclerc within the System 1 British Grand Prix cooldown room that went viral. 

Leclerc secured his first victory of the 2026 season with Ferrari at Silverstone, main dwelling the Mercedes of Russell after the race resulted in anticlimactic circumstances behind the security automotive. 

The security automotive intervention secured the win for Leclerc, whereas Russell was promoted into second place after Ferrari pitted Lewis Hamilton for delicate tyres in anticipation of a restart that by no means got here. 

Within the cooldown room following the race, there was an amusing interplay between Leclerc and Russell. 

A laughing Leclerc turned to Russell and stated: “who would have thought?”

Russell replied: “who would have thought? Not me!” 

The change was a reference to Paul Rudd’s ‘Hey Look At Us’ meme which went viral after the actor’s 2019 visitor look on the YouTube interview sequence Scorching Ones. 

Explaining the amusing second forward of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, Russell stated: “I noticed the clip again and it is typically tough to place context into the clip.

“Charles and I have been texting after FP1 on Friday forward of dash qualifying, I’m not going to enter element about our dialog, however after we completed 1-2, and it was like, ‘who would have thought, not us’, that was kind of in reference again to what we have been speaking about on the Friday.”

On what it’s prefer to be continuously filmed within the speedy aftermath of classes, Russell added: “Our lives are simply continuously being filmed and it does really feel like fairly an natural second, to be trustworthy, in that cool-down room, as a result of there are simply so many feelings.

“Despite the fact that there is a digicam there, you’re simply fairly open and free. However it’s simply a part of the game now. Being filmed over right here, cornered by, I am certain, beautiful Netflix. 

“You wish to attempt to be as genuine as potential and embrace the second, nevertheless it’s typically unusual.”

Russell heads into this weekend’s tenth spherical of the season trying to additional cut back Mercedes team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s championship lead, which stands at 25 factors.