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“A virtual hot lap” is the headline’s framing for a video interview, not a simulator session or an on-track demonstration. Published by Time+Tide Watches on 19 November 2022, the conversation looks back at George Russell’s first season with Mercedes and explores how watches fit into the precise scheduling of an F1 driver’s life.
Russell’s first Mercedes season, as it looked in November 2022
Russell joined Mercedes in 2022 after three seasons with Williams. In the interview, he was speaking during a difficult campaign for a team whose car was behind Red Bull and Ferrari in pace. The article also describes encouraging signs: Russell said Mercedes had recognized mistakes in its development work.
The season had its bright spots. The interview highlights Russell’s first pole position, in Budapest, and a strong weekend at Zandvoort. It was published just after his first Grand Prix victory in Brazil, following a solid performance in Mexico. Time+Tide also reported that he had eight podiums at that point—a dated tally from November 2022, not a current career total.
How watches entered his life
Russell traced his interest in watches to his father’s daily habit: “Growing up, my father used to wear a watch daily. I’d never see him without a watch on,” he said in the interview.
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Seeing how watches are made deepened that interest. Russell said, “When you see the watch and the design process, you get the appreciation for the work.” He also compared watchmaking precision with the demands of F1: “They probably work at an even higher precision than us in Formula 1, just because of the small size.” These are quotations transcribed in the 2022 article.
The IWC watches named in the conversation
The interview distinguishes between the watch Russell was pictured wearing and the one he said he wore most often. They are not the same claim.
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| Watch | What the 2022 article says | Details supplied |
|---|---|---|
| IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “AMG” | Identified in the photograph’s caption; Russell was wearing it in that instance. | No specifications supplied in the interview. |
| IWC Double Chronograph Top Gun Ceratanium | Named as another IWC Pilot’s watch Russell had worn. | No specifications supplied in the interview. |
| IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Edition “Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team” | Named as another IWC Pilot’s watch Russell had worn. | No specifications supplied in the interview. |
| IWC Portugieser Annual Calendar | Russell said this was the watch that got the most wrist time. | Time+Tide gives a 44.2 mm case and a seven-day power reserve. No complete reference number is provided. |
Russell explained his preference for the Portugieser this way: “I wear the Portugieser all the time. It works really well on my wrist, and goes with anything.” He also valued its reserve: “the seven-day power reserve is really helpful. I was never really good at winding my watch.” Those remarks describe his reported preference in 2022, not necessarily what he wears now.
Why a watch mattered to an F1 schedule
For Russell, a watch was more than an interest in design or a team-linked accessory. He connected it to the logistics of a tightly planned racing and travel schedule: “My watch helps to be there on time. It may sound simple, but the life we live, our schedules are planned to the minute, and being late has a knock-on effect for everything, so you become heavily reliant on your watch.”
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That practical point gives the interview its clearest link between watchmaking and Formula 1. Both involve precision, but Russell’s explanation is grounded in daily routine: keeping to a schedule where one delay can affect what follows.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What this interview does—and does not—establish
This is a historical profile from November 2022, not a current update on Russell’s career or watch collection. It records his first Mercedes season, the watches discussed at the time, and his reasons for valuing a mechanical watch. It does not establish his present F1 status, current preferences, or today’s specifications, prices, or availability for the named IWC models.
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