George Russell’s Las Vegas celebration U-Turn after pneumonia battle

George Russell says he shelved plans to jump in a fountain to celebrate his victory at the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix out of concern for getting ill.

The Mercedes driver dominated from pole position in Sin City to lead home his seven-time world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton and triumph to his second win of the 2024 season.

Russell said he wanted to jump in the fountains in front of the famous Bellagio hotel to celebrate the win, but ultimately decided against it due to being too cold in the low temperatures.

The Briton also revealed he contracted pneumonia at last year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix and battled the illness during the season finale in Abu Dhabi and throughout much of the winter.

“No, I really wanted to do it!” Russell said when asked if he had jumped in the fountain. "But I was so cold after the race I thought I would get super ill.

“This time last year I actually caught pneumonia and I was ill all the way into mid-February after Vegas and Abu Dhabi.

“So I was like ‘I really want to do it’ but then I was thinking back to the struggles I had this time 12 months ago because it’s such a toll on the body.

“It’s from all the champagne, that’s why I’m soaking wet!”

Russell told Mercedes boss Toto Wolff over team radio after the race that he would be staying in Las Vegas to celebrate his win.

Russell’s amusing radio exchange:

TW: “Let's have a drink in Los Angeles tonight, George!”

GR: "Toto, I'm staying in Vegas!”

TW: “I think that maybe I need to stay in Vegas too.”

But Russell admitted he needed some advice on where to head to celebrate, saying: “I don’t party that often and I don’t know where I need to go but I’ll be going somewhere!”