Beyond the Flag
Fansided

Formula 1: George Russell rips ‘hateful’ Polish fans of Robert Kubica

By Asher Fair

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - AUGUST 03: George Russell of Great Britain and Williams walks in the Pitlane during qualifying for the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on August 03, 2019 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - AUGUST 03: George Russell of Great Britain and Williams walks in the Pitlane during qualifying for the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on August 03, 2019 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

George Russell has taken exception to the hateful Polish fans of Robert Kubica who he has had to deal with throughout his rookie Formula 1 season.

George Russell has had an exceptional rookie Formula 1 season driving for ROKiT Williams Racing, by far the slowest team on the grid. The Mercedes junior driver entered the season having won the 2017 GP3 Series championship and the 2018 Formula 2 title, and he has proven that he belongs this season.

Russell’s teammate, Robert Kubica, is in his first season of Formula 1 since the 2010 season, as he suffered major injuries in a rally crash in 2011. He had been slated to drive for Scuderia Ferrari the following year.

But through the first 12 races of the 21-race 2019 season, the 21-year-old Briton has absolutely dominated the 34-year-old Pole. He has outqualified him for every race, although a grid penalty prevented him from starting ahead of Kubica in the Austrian Grand Prix, and he has finished behind him only twice.

Throughout the start of the season, however, Russell has been faced with tons of criticism and hated from Kubica’s fans.

More from Formula One

These fans, typically fellow countrymen of Kubica, insist that he is the GOAT and that Russell is the prioritized Williams driver who is given superior equipment even though the pair not only drive for the same team but previously swapped chassis and Russell still dominates him week in and week out.

And they truly believe this.

Williams are the only team that have had both of their drivers finish ever race this season, and in five races, Russell has lapped Kubica. Unfortunately for Russell, one of the two races in which Kubica beat him was the German Grand Prix when nine other drivers either crashed, experienced mechanical issues or were issued post-race time penalties.

As a result, Kubica finished in 10th place, and he scored Williams’ lone point of the season thus far. Meanwhile, Russell is the only driver who has not scored any. This has only elevated the level of unwarranted hate that Russell has received from these Polish fans who claim that Kubica is so much better.

Because of this hate, Russell called out these arrogant fans in the midst of the summer break. Here is what he had to say, according to Motorsport.

"“It’s a little bit hurtful that 50% of the comments on my posts are hate from Polish supporters, whereas the other 50% is complete support for me. I mean, I do truly only care about the view from inside what Williams think of me, what Mercedes think of me. But you also want to be respected from outside. I’ve not come across anyone who’s disrespecting me, or giving any hate to me, who are not from Poland. So, I appreciate the situation and I can only hope one day I have fans as passionate as his.”"

Next. Top 10 Formula 1 drivers of all-time. dark

Formula 1 action is scheduled to resume in under two weeks on Sunday, September 1 with the Belgian Grand Prix, which is set to be broadcast live on ESPN2 from Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, Belgium.

Home/Formula One