George Russell suffered a cut to his leg in a garage accident with the Mercedes W17 car at last week\u2019s Barcelona shakedown.<\/p>\n
The incident occurred as Mercedes appeared to cement its status as the team to beat in F1 2026 at the first pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last week.<\/p>\n
George Russell \u2018kicked the car\u2019 as Mercedes W17 footage released<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust<\/p>\n The W17 car proved fast and reliable in the hands of Russell and teammate Kimi Antonelli, with Mercedes the only team to hit the 500-lap landmark.<\/p>\n Russell set what had been the fastest lap of the test on the penultimate afternoon before Ferrari\u2019s Lewis Hamilton posted a late flyer to steal top spot in the closing stages of the final day.<\/p>\n As reported by PlanetF1.com<\/a>, a senior source suggested that Russell could scarcely disguise his happiness while making his way through the paddock in Barcelona after Mercedes\u2019 strong start to pre-season.<\/p>\n Analysis: What we learned from the first F1 2026 pre-season test in Barcelona<\/p>\n Shakedown conclusions: Mercedes back in the light, Red Bull finds peace, key Newey question<\/a><\/p>\n Winners and losers from the Barcelona testing shakedown (Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya)<\/a><\/p>\n It has since emerged that Mercedes\u2019 test was not entirely drama-free, however, with Russell suffering a small cut to his leg in the garage in Barcelona.<\/p>\n A clip posted to social media by the Mercedes team showed Russell grazing his left shin against the W17\u2019s bargeboard while making his way around the garage.<\/p>\n The incident appeared to draw blood with Russell later covering the wound with a small flannel with a bag of ice sitting on top.<\/p>\n Russell laughed off the incident in Barcelona by quipping: \u201cI kicked the car!\u201d<\/p>\n He then revealed the injury to the camera, Russell then remarked: \u201cIt\u2019s quite lumpy. It is quite lumpy.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if the wound will heal or if he might be left with a scar, Russell smiled as he replied: \u201cOh, it\u2019ll be fine, mate. It\u2019ll rub off.\u201d<\/p>\n Russell, is entering his fifth full season as a Mercedes driver in F1 2026. He is not the only British Formula 1 driver to have been in the wars off track over recent years.<\/p>\n McLaren driver Lando Norris suffered a cut to his nose while partying in Amsterdam in April 2024, before\u00a0ending his wait for a maiden F1 victory at the Miami Grand Prix a week later before winning a first world championship last season.<\/p>\n The Brit was injured again last season while celebrating his victory in the 2025 British Grand Prix, suffering a cut nose as a photographer fell from a fence above him.<\/p>\n \u201cLong story, but now I have two scars on my nose,\u201d he said following the incident. \u201cOne was lonely, so now I\u2019ve got two.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s all part of the memories of Silverstone.\u201d<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n