George Russell heads into the Chinese Grand Prix 2026 not only as the favourite after winning the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, but also as an unexpected social media sensation.
The Mercedes driver has gone viral in China for his heartwarming support of 19-year-old teammate Kimi Antonelli, earning himself a surprising new nickname from fans, “Big Sis.”
Ahead of the Shanghai race weekend, Russell has been trending across Chinese social media with the hashtag “La Jie.” The nickname is a playful pun based on the Chinese pronunciation of his surname “La,” while “Jie” means elder sister, symbolising someone caring, admired, and supportive, much like the way fans see Russell guiding his young teammate.
Fans on the popular social media app RedNote are joking that the 28-year-old driver resembles a beautiful big sister – someone you admire, look up to, and who also takes care of you – alongside screenshots from the latest season of Netflix’s docu-series “Drive to Survive”, showing Russell taking Antonelli, then in his first year in the sport, under his wing.
“His sisterly vibe really stands out: like a prim and proper British lady (but not a grandma),” wrote one user. “‘Sister’ is a feeling, an aura, a state,” said another.
“There is only one Queen in F1! George Russell!” another post read, leaning into the sentiment among Chinese fans that his good looks carry a uniquely feminine quality compared with the other current crop of F1 drivers.
Big question marks hung over Russell and Mercedes after seven-times World Champion Lewis Hamilton shocked the sport by announcing he would leave the team for rivals Ferrari for the 2025 season. Pundits wondered whether Russell was ready to lead the championship-contending team, and how the 18-year-old would fill Hamilton’s shoes.
Also Read: Chinese GP 2026: Why Shanghai is a Weekend Lewis Hamilton Can’t Forget — What Happened Last Year?
But as the latest season of the Netflix hit shows, the five-times race winner rose to the occasion, providing his rookie Italian teammate a guiding hand during a championship in which Mercedes would finish second.
HOLA A TODOS 😁
Hermosa mañana verdad? pic.twitter.com/yoUSgTN0V0
— Mercedes-ARG F1 🇦🇷 (@MercedesF1ARG) March 7, 2026
“I love the Chinese fans, and they clearly know what they’re talking about!” Russell said, when asked about the hashtag by Reuters. “I’m going to print them (the comments) off, and keep them for the record!”
The winner of last weekend’s 2026 season-opening Australian Grand Prix would not be drawn on who he thought was the most attractive F1 driver.
Not that there is much doubt among his Chinese fan base.
“His beauty is the pride of Mercedes-Benz,” another fan declared online.
(With inputs from Reuters)
