KUALA LUMPUR — Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One driver George Russell is taking the haze currently affecting Malaysia in his stride, saying the conditions will pose the same challenge to all drivers ahead of this weekend’s Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit.

The Briton said the hot and humid weather synonymous with Malaysia has always been part of the challenge of racing at Sepang, adding that the conditions could make the weekend even more exciting.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s the same for everybody, I guess, and there’s always the challenge of the heat and humidity in Malaysia. But, you know, that’s part of the excitement of racing here and part of the challenge. It’s the same for all,” he said during a press conference today.

Meanwhile, Russell said his first Formula One race at Sepang would not be entirely unfamiliar territory, revealing that the circuit was his favourite track growing up and one he regularly raced on virtually through PlayStation.

Russell is now hoping those childhood experiences behind the controller will prove useful when he finally takes on the iconic circuit for real.

“Well, I think, you know, this is our first time racing here in Sepang, and it was actually my favourite circuit as a kid when I used to drive on the PlayStation. So I’m really looking forward to coming back and hopefully those experiences on the controller will help me go a bit faster this weekend,” he said.

Meanwhile, Russell’s teammate Kimi Antonelli expects tyre management to be among the biggest challenges at Sepang, with the circuit’s ageing and abrasive surface likely to contribute to high tyre degradation.