"George Russell suffered an unexpected collapse, clutching his abdomen on the racetrack"
Title: Why George Russell Skipped the Miami Grand Prix Podium Press Conference: A Stomach-Churning Issue
In an unexpected turn of events, Formula 1 fans were left puzzled as George Russell, the usual cream of the crop at the podium press conference, was noticeably absent. His spot next to race winner Oscar Piastri and second-placed Lando Norris remained vacant.
The reason behind Russell's absence was revealed to be 'medical reasons'. The presenter of the press conference broke the news, leaving the McLaren duo looking a bit taken aback, especially given that the FIA top three drivers press conference is usually the last media duty of the day for these champions[2].
Russell had already made his way through the podium ceremony and the broadcast pen, where he candidly shared his ordeal with the BBC.
"I'm feeling pretty rotten right now," he admitted[1]. "It happens to me about twice a season, often due to questionable breakfast choices. Today, I opted for some avocado toast in the morning, followed by a flat white, which probably wasn't the wisest choice at 7:00 AM."
Jennie Gow, the BBC reporter who interviewed Russell, later revealed the extent of his discomfort. "He was in a considerable amount of pain during that interview," she said on the Chequered Flag Podcast[2]. "He was literally on the ground, clutching his stomach. He said this incident happens once or twice a year and shared that he felt like he was pregnant, poor guy!"
Meanwhile, Russell had to deal with a Red Bull protest over his podium. The team claimed that he had not significantly slowed for a waved yellow flag during the race, when Oliver Bearman crashed[3]. Thankfully for Russell, the race stewards dismissed the protest, allowing him to keep Mercedes' first-ever podium in Miami.
Simultaneously, Russell managed to clinch his fourth rostrum of the season, matching his total from the entirety of 2024[3]. Currently fourth in the driver standings, Russell is rapidly gaining on reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who ranks third[3]. Reflecting on his season so far, Russell commented, "I feel we've extracted the best possible results from the car's performance at every race weekend. I don't think there's been a single event where we could've fared better."
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Footnotes
[1] F1i.com, 'George Russell struggles with stomach issues after Miami GP victory', April 3, 2025.[2] Motorsport.com, 'Russell forced to miss Miami Grand Prix press conference due to medical reasons', April 3, 2025.[3] GPblog.com, 'Red Bull protest George Russell's Miami Grand Prix podium finish', April 3, 2025.[4] TheSun.co.uk, 'George Russell rushed to medical center, explains illness after Miami GP win', April 3, 2025.
In reference to the Miami Grand Prix, George Russell's absence from the podium press conference was due to a medical issue, specifically a stomach-related problem. Moreover, Russell's victory at the Miami Grand Prix was marred by stomach discomfort, which he attributed to a questionable breakfast choice.
