In an interview with the German magazine auto motor und sport, Formula 1 driver George Russell said that he uses the Mercedes-AMG One hypercar as his everyday car and is not worried about its depreciation despite daily use.
Photo: George Russell/Instagram
Formula 1 drivers drive high-performance cars not only on the racetrack but also in everyday life. Those who are currently active have easy access to the exclusive models of the brands they race for.
For example, McLaren driver Lando Norris drives a McLaren P1, while Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso drives an Aston Martin Valkyrie and also owns other rare hypercars such as the Mercedes CLK GTR—of which only 20 coupés and 5 convertibles were produced—or a Ferrari F40, in which he has been spotted driving around Monte Carlo. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has a Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale and a Daytona SP3 in his garage.
In general, most hypercar owners do not drive them very often in order to avoid putting too many kilometers on them, which could lead to depreciation.
However, George Russell has a different philosophy. He drives his Mercedes-AMG One hypercar every day around Monte Carlo and told auto motor und sport:
“I drive it a lot. I’ve already put a few hundred kilometers on the clock. To be honest, I simply use it as my everyday car when I’m in Monaco. I always think: Why not! A car like this shouldn’t be sitting in a museum wrapped in bubble wrap. I want to enjoy it. It makes me happy.”
Russell says he is not worried about a possible drop in the car’s value. He believes that such hypercars retain their value during the first five years, after which their price rises rapidly.
But the British driver doesn’t only use his supercar around Monte Carlo. He also sends it by trailer to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, where he drives it daily to the circuit.
The photograph in which Russell appears alongside his blue Mercedes-AMG One recorded a record number of views on Instagram—nearly 1.5 million.
Although Russell is the proud owner of a Mercedes-AMG One—of which only 275 examples were built—he admitted in the interview with auto motor und sport that his dream car is the Mercedes CLK GTR. Only 20 coupés and 5 convertibles were produced, derived from the late-1990s racing car.
Russell also appreciates Mercedes’ historic cars. He said that in 2024 he owned a 280 SL with a red interior and that he is currently looking to buy a 300 SL.
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