Mercedes driver George Russell has revealed a new helmet design ahead of the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. Celebrating the Year of the Snake, the driver will wear it as he races on the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend.
Russell shared photos of the helmet to his Instagram account, accompanied with a fitting caption.
“Back with another Chinese special helmet,” he wrote. “I had various sources of inspiration for this one. The pattern design is inspired by traditional Chinese armour, the Year of the Snake and, of course, silver for the Silver Arrows. I hope you like it!!”
The snake is a strong part of Chinese culture and tradition. Representing one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, it reflects self improvement and growth, as well as keen strategic thinking – perfect for the driver who has taken over as team leader after Lewis Hamilton’s exit to Ferrari.
Since joining Formula 1, Russell has built a strong reputation around his driving, with 2025 promising to be his best year yet as he takes on the responsibility of the Brackley team. While McLaren showed intense dominance during the season opener at Australia, through reliable driving from both Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli, both McLaren and Mercedes sit on 27 points heading into the Chinese race.
Despite this, the Briton has been pessimistic coming out of Melbourne, noting that McLaren was so far ahead that they can shift their focus to the regulation changes in 2026 now.
“They’re in such an advantage, because they can stop development now and go fully on ’26 and it’s difficult to overcome that gap,” Russell admitted. “Red Bull started the [2024] season so far ahead of everyone, but I don’t think people overtook them in terms of development.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
“I think they brought some things to the car and went backwards. If you’ve got a six-tenth advantage at the start of the year, nobody finds six tenths throughout the year. So, McLaren is in prime position for now and the future.”
The helmet received strong praise from fans of the driver.
“This one is it,” one said, responding to his Instagram post. Another added: “Great taste.”
At the time of writing, the post has received over 150,000 likes.
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