George Russell has joked that he would consider doing a nude calendar if he does not secure a seat in F1 next season.
After his win in the Canadian Grand Prix, Russell was asked about a video on social media that suggested he should jump into the Olympic rowing basin adjacent to the paddock in celebration.
Russell explained that he had been working with German photographer Paul Ripke, who had produced the video.
Ripke previously worked with Valtteri Bottas to boost his social media following, which saw the Finn famously adopt a blonde mullet haircut and produce a nude calendar.
Russell said: “We have this crazy German who’s living in Los Angeles who has rejoined us this weekend.
George Russell, Mercedes
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“He’s a friend of Valtteri’s and is probably an inspiration for Valtteri’s nude calendars and the mullet and all of this stuff. He’s in the room with us today, and he’s the one who said, ‘If I win, we need to jump in the lake.’
When Max Verstappen suggested that Russell “should do the calendar” as well, the Brit, who has yet to sign a new contract with Mercedes for next season, joked: “Well, I’m considering the calendar. You know? If I don’t have a contract next year, I need to bring the calendar out to bring in the income.”
While it’s always good to have a backup plan, it’s unlikely that posing naked will become Russell’s only revenue stream in 2026. The Brit’s strong qualifying in Canada, and his ensuing race win, sparked rumours that a new Mercedes deal will be finalised soon.
If an extension at the Silver Arrows doesn’t work out, the four-time race winner has also been tied to a move to Aston Martin.
