George Russell was in the bathroom at two a.m. when he got the call from Mercedes

If you’re in the bathroom at 2 a.m., that usually doesn’t mean good things. For George Russell, however, it was the right place and the right time, as that was when he got the call to drive for the Mercedes-AMG F1 team in the Sakhir Grand Prix. this week-end. Russell, driver for Williams Racing most weekends, will replace Lewis Hamilton, who tested positive for COVID-19.

Here’s how Russell said the call was dropped, via Formula1.com:

“I received a phone call from Toto [Wolff, Mercedes Team Principal] at 2 am Tuesday morning, ”Russell said. “I was actually in the bathroom at the time, which was a bit awkward. He answered the phone and said, “George, are you in the bathroom? and I said, “Sorry I’m in the bathroom.”

“And he said ‘unfortunately Lewis has caught Covid, he’s fine, he’s healthy and feeling fine, which is most important, but we want you to drive.’ Then [I had] a sleepless night and we made it through the next day.

We can all admire the swift, professional transition from recognition Russell was in the bathroom to news that Hamilton has COVID and that Russell would be needed to drive. But the unexplained thing here, of course, is the sound Wolff heard that led him to realize that Russell was in a bathroom in the first place. The sound of a fluid in the background wouldn’t make me immediately wonder if my colleague interlocutor was in the box but, uh, other sounds might.

Moving on to the more practical parts of actual racing while keeping this post on the body theme, Russell also said today that he’s a little tight in the Mercedes seat. Russell is just over 6 feet tall; Hamilton is 5 feet 9 inches tall.

“It was definitely tight pressure,” said Russell, who is one of the taller drivers on the grid. “Also my 11 foot height was difficult, some I have to wear a shoe size smaller than what would be ideal so it’s a bit uncomfortable. But I’m sure I can take the pain to get this opportunity.

This has been your update on George Russell’s body and bathroom.