#russonelli

Tbh i think George would be more inclined to do colorguard because of the need to be graceful. Idk i can’t really describe it but I see him as one of the vets who all the rookies look up to and admire. (One of those rookies being kimi 👀). He’s the typa guy that’s always counting the loudest and his form is always on point. Now that I think more about it he’d probably be a captain.

HELLOOO

it took me ages to respond your Ask i'm so sorry but i have tumblr on my laptop so i log out all the time to not distract myself from writing lmao

glad you're excited for the fic! it'll be out before Zandvoort trust

now, buah, what a question

i explain it on the author's note for my fic but i'll give you a glimpse of my interest.

essentially, it all started because i didn't find them compelling at all. at least, not believable.

I study Publicity and PR and I've made a handful of assignments related to F1 and this school year i went heavy with mercedes because i was really hyped for GR wdc since december and i wanted to analyse how the team would run their pr, communications and handling of optics with everything tied to the 2026 regulations, the controversy of the mercedes engine, the speculation of george being guaranteed the wdc and all that.

in preparation for that, i spent a good amount of winter break reviewing mercedes media content of the 2025 season, closely discussing it with my cousin @george-russells-lawyerr

one thing about her is that she never liked kimi, like, at all lmao like bro NEVER stood a chance 😭

so, even though i was very pro kimi at the time, i also agreed with her that the entire bratcedes narrative was very forced.

like.

it just didn't feel as 'close' as they liked to promote it.

I mean, I get that in their first year as teammates they wouldn't be that familiar with each other - what really caught my attention was how Mercedes went all-in on the 'team as a family' narrative. That’s what made me take a closer look, because it’s roleplay; it’s an act. I wasn't saying they couldn't stand each other in real life, but - like I said - I just didn't buy that they actually had that older-brother/younger-brother dynamic.

And, I sensed an imbalance.

If you look at the teammate-on-teammate interviews they were putting out last year, or the series where they were evaluating marketing strategies to promote Nu -

I think it’s pretty obvious that Kimi actually likes George. Seriously. He genuinely wants to get along with him.

Like I said, that was just my impression. It was easy to see it that way, with Kimi turning to look at George every time he made a joke and laughing more than was strictly necessary.

But George would kinda brush him off?? Like?? He wasn't as giddy? I mean, he obviously gets along way better with other drivers because he knows them better and for longer.

It was giving puppy. that's all im gonna say.

And has that led to dog metaphors in kimi's inner monologue? No

Anyway, that was a while ago. Back in February, I turned in a paper about how Mercedes uses brand storytelling for promotion and I left it at that.

The season started, and I was ready for the George Russell domination era. I celebrated Kimi’s first win in China - and the one in Japan, though a bit less so. By the time Miami rolled around, I was already worried about George; I feel like that Grand Prix was when the general perception of Kimi as a future champion really took off. And by Canada? Yeah, I was low-key hating that narrative, and Kimi Antonelli himself had already fallen out of my good graces.

Now, I can't fucking stand him.

I know a lot of people are "anti-Antonelli-narrative," but for me, it’s different. It's him. I am absolutely fed up. Get him out of my sight. like the spanish saying, "i dont even want to see him in painting"

Obviously, I know he isn't the mastermind behind George’s bad luck, and that he’s being groomed by Mercedes, and that Toto Wolff doesn't actually care about him - just the success that boosts his own ego, blah blah blah.

Yeah, to all of that.

But I’m an informed hater.

And personally, I find it so annoying that he lets himself be treated like a child. Bro - I don't know if it's because we're the same age, but I can't imagine letting people see me being babied like that.

ALL of this led me to realize I was right about the whole "bratcedes" thing being more forced than Pedro Sánchez trying to cling to power.

BUT THEY'RE STILL AT IT?

LIKE?

Who genuinely still believes they're actually that close?

Which got me thinking about how - I don't know - awkward? it must be to fake it for the cameras.

And, since I try to stay informed, seeing all of the shit he says to the italian media, I 100% believe Kimi is the obsessed one of the two.

He wants George to play mind games. He wants to beat George. He wants George to see him as an equal.

That led me to look into Kimi’s pre-F1 Mercedes lore - reading about his interactions with George during the junior program - and then the Monza 2024 incident, when he crashed the car in FP1.

And that sparked a little thought -

Doesn't Kimi feel any embarrassment? About diabolically flopping in front George? That was basically the birth of "bratcedes," because literally the next day, Mercedes announced that Kimi would replace Hamilton and does -

Kimi - a nineteen-year-old still figuring out his identity - doesn't he cringe when he thinks back on it?

Like, doesn't he find it embarrassing? Doesn't he wonder if George still holds a grudge?

And then there's the fact that George couldn't care less.

George isn't worried about Kimi. He's worried about the team structure; he's worried about Toto.

But the kid? The rookie who finished 169 points behind him in 2025? Hell nah.

And then I saw a post that changed everything for me: "A lot of things Kimi does make sense if you think he has a crush on George."

And that opened my mind.

Before I knew it, I was opening a document, with a half-formed idea, exploring a single concept: attention.

Needing it, craving it, making a fool of yourself for it.

Being so pathetic that you stalk his instagram, that you complain about it to your dad, that you try to get close to his friends just to have a piece of him, even if just second-hand.

From there, I started checking out the russonelli tag to see what was going on - what people were coming up with and what they were imagining. Some things inspired me, I understood the vision - while others didn't quite resonate.

Here’s what struck me: Kimi, desperate for George’s approval.

Because it has nothing to do with George at all.

The obsession. It’s about Kimi - about him being the next junior driver to reach F1, about doing private tests in the W13, the car George drove for his Formula 1 debut.

It’s about being nineteen - though Lamine Yamal is eighteen and Max Verstappen was seventeen, and so many other young athletes are winning and breaking records and Toto being right there, promising him he could be the next one

and it's about the dream. the mission.

It’s the need to know it was all worth it. Not graduating with his own class, missing his sister’s birthdays.

It’s about having his whole life ahead of him, with his dad by his side, with a future that is bright, promising, and all his own.

And yet, it’s Kimi Antonelli being set up for failure; it’s him being dead on arrival, being groomed by the sport, being Toto’s latest new thing - being exactly what Taylor Swift warns about: just a showgirl left for dead, only as hot as your next hit baby; they tell you you're lucky, but you're so confused because you don't feel pretty -

you just feel used.

It’s being on a stage. a massive world stage. It’s about being the next big thing.

It’s about money, profitability and profit margins -

and it’s about being the trophy, because Toto always climbs into the podium.

It’s my theory and my thesis and the words I want marked down: Kimi Antonelli won’t leave the sport in glory.

And it’s George not saving him, not paying him any attention. Not doing anything about it, not even trying.

But that’s because Kimi would never allow it; he’d never let George step in.

Because Kimi doesn’t think he needs saving. Because they say it over and over: he’s only nineteen.

And that - the very thing that made Toto throw him into the deep end - is his Achilles' heel.

i am nothing but committed to get my facts rights

inspired by my frenetic bungo stray dogs rewatching these past few weeks...

if you want, you can bite me (and i won't move)

Of course George is happy to oblige.

“Kimi, ah-ah. Don’t touch that, love.”

“Sweetheart, don’t worry about it, thats my job.”

Whenever Kimi didnt understand something (or maybe he did and just wanted it explained to him), instead of googling it , he’d run to George.

George would indulgently answer the best he could or they’d sit on the couch and look up the answers together.

In public , Kimi would always look to George before doing something or sometimes before talking to people. It used to embarrass George (who was afraid people might see it as abusive or controlling) but now? He loved it.

Kimi would turn around and look up at him with these big ol eyes that seemed to think about nothing and George would nudge him forward.

“Go on , sweetheart.”

At a restaurant?

“Tell the kind lady what you want. Sorry, he’s shy. He’ll have ___”

Of course Kimi is beyond horny every time.

Dude im gonna marry you, set the date and I’ll be there 🤤🤤🤤 THIS IS ACTUALLY SO PEAK DUDE IM LIKE GOING FUCKING CRAZY. This is genuinely perfect🤤🤤🤤 like I’m actually drooling irl no joke. I’m like in awe of ur brain it’s so amazing and talented. I loveeee the idea of George ordering for kimi at restaurants, like omg 🤤🤤🤤

————————————————————————————

George had dealt with bad sunburns before, usually on himself. He was prone to burn under the suns harsh light, that’s why he had an extensive routine to prevent any and all sun related issues. Kimi on the other hand, wasn’t as smart as George wished he was.

“God kimi, do you even put on sunscreen?”

George questioned, a distasteful line forming between his eyebrows as he rubbed Aloe Vera all over the Italians skin. Kimi was a squirming under George’s touch, he was clearly uncomfortable. Should have put sunscreen on, George thought as he kept massaging the knots in Kimis back.

Kimi had somehow managed to burn the entire top half of his body while he was living it up on a yacht, his bosses yacht.

“Turn over”

George commanded as he prepared to spread more aloe Vera over Kimis body. He turned his back to Kimi, who let a small yelp as the skin of his back hit the cold granite counter.

George wasn’t mad Toto didn’t invite him onto his yacht, and it didn’t bug him that Max Verstappen somehow made it to the invite list. He had more important things to worry about than a stupid yacht party between his boss and rival.

“George….”

Kimi said wearily as he slowly turned his head to face George, who still had his back to the boy.

“Are you mad?”

Kimi paused, his words floating in the air between him and George for a beat to long. George’s shoulders tensed as he gripped the bottle harder.

“ why would i be?” George answered, still choosing to keep his back to kimi, he’d rather Kimi not see the expression of sourness spreading through his pasty skin.

“I dunno, you’ve been acting weird” kimi shrugged.

George wasn’t mad at kimi, he couldn’t be. It wasn’t his fault after all. He was just upset with the situation at hand. Something he knew kimi wouldn’t understand even if he tried his best to explain. It was just easier to lie.

“ no I’m not mad” George began, slowly turning around to face Kimi, who was already staring his way. “I’m disappointed, you’re pushing 20 and still don’t know how to take care of yourself” George murmured as he bent down and placed a small kiss on Kimis warm skin.

“Why would I do that when I can have you take care of me?” Kimi giggled as George went back up. Without warning george squeezed the cold gel onto kimis red chest. Kimi shuddered at the contact, whispering curses under his breath.

George could pretend everything was ok, he could do it for kimi.