F1 rivals 'making fun of' George Russell for item that only two drivers own

George Russell has revealed that some of his F1 rivals have been 'making fun of' the eye-catching silver jackets worn by the two Mercedes stars. The garments are produced by Adidas as part of the German clothing brand's new deal with the Silver Arrows, and look to keep the Brit and Kimi Antonelli in optimal condition before track sessions.

Mercedes' new threads caught the attention of the paddock when Russell and Antonelli strolled onto the grid at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The silver jackets make use of adidas' CLIMACOOL System technology.

Speaking at adidas' flagship store in London ahead of his home race, Russell explained: "They are making fun of us because they're jealous, it's as simple as that. F1 is a unique sport.

"Right before racing, we're standing on the grid, we've got cameras in our face, people coming up for interviews, and it's so hot sometimes when you're in your race suit... you're melting. We all wear ice vests, but you stand in the sun for five minutes and they're melted. The space jacket's got a fan in it, so it keeps me ice cool and feeling fresh."

Cooling for F1 drivers is critical. With searing hot power units behind them and limited airflow in the cockpit, temperatures in the car can reach as high as 60 degrees Celsius at the hottest events of the year, such as the Singapore Grand Prix.

The adidas Mercedes jackets contain internal fans, and use cooling agents and special insulating materials to keep Antonelli and Russell in optimal conditions before climbing into their cars. According to its manufacturers, it can "almost double the impact of wearing only a cooling or ice vest on skin and core temperature."

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For Russell and Mercedes, the jackets are a symbol of the marginal gains that F1 drivers and teams chase to improve on-track performance. "They aren't space jackets," the Brit said in Jeddah earlier this year. "They are to help us cool down.

"For all of the drivers, it wasn't so much the case in Bahrain, but when we stand on the grid ahead of the national anthem, we're in direct sunlight in our fireproofs, which are designed to keep the fire away.

"They're not exactly the thinnest and most breathable of material, and the fan jacket is sort of designed to keep the ice cool that we've got on [as well] because often you wear your ice vest, but when you're in 30 degrees of sunlight that ice doesn't last for very long. We're looking for these marginal gains and pushing the boundaries."