F1 fans have a new nickname for George Russell after his reaction to Canadian GP DNF

Follow us on Google Discover

Formula 1 fans think George Russell is slowly moving to the ‘dark side’ after seeing how angry he was following his retirement from the Canadian Grand Prix.

The Brit had been fighting Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli for the lead for the first 30 laps, having beaten him to victory in the Sprint race. He was trailing the Italian on lap 30 when he ran on the grass at turn nine, and his W17 ground to a halt.

Russell suffered a battery failure and was taken out of the race on the spot. The 28-year-old was seen throwing his headrest onto the track in anger, which prompted fans to come up with a new nickname for the Mercedes driver.

Here’s how the championship standings look after the Canadian Grand Prix! Does George Russell have to take more risks now?

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

F1 fans think George Russell is on his way to the ‘dark side’ after Canadian GP DNF

Antonelli went on to win the Canadian Grand Prix from Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. It was a brilliant race for the 2026 regulations, but an intense battle between the Mercedes drivers was denied after Russell’s sudden problem.

Antonelli now leads the championship over his teammate by 43 points, and Russell could not hide his disappointment and anger after his retirement. His fury was clear to see as he looked at his stopped car on the side of the track.

Many people on Reddit soon started comparing Russell to Star Wars’ Anakin Skywalker. They believe that his retirement in Montreal is the start of his transition to the ‘dark side.’

“First photo looks like Anakin halfway through to the dark side,” said one fan. Another agreed: “I’ve seen this look before. In Anakin Skywalker.”

“First image makes him look like Episode III Anakin Skywalker after he turned to the Dark Side,” wrote another user. Many think that Russell is soon turning into Darth Vader as Antonelli extends his lead in the championship.

“The Darth George era has begun,” commented one fan. Another had a different take on the nickname, coming up with: “Darth Russ.”

One fan had a clever spin on it, saying: “Is this where Anakin Russell becomes Merc Vader?” Whatever the case, it is clear that Russell is now more up against it than ever and desperately needs to bounce back in Monaco.