Stronger Together | George Russell

11 - publication

Annabelle

After we explained the whole thing to Toto, he asked if we had already reported it to the police. I had already forwarded the picture of Brussels and the message to David, who was our official in charge, last week. 

I was really grateful to Toto for this contact as David tried his best but said there wasn't much he could do, legally speaking. He had only said that if something like that happened again, he could impose a no-contact order. Whether Berger would stick to it was another matter.

"Then we'll just do it as agreed and you will post it in your story with the text and the picture. We will also upload a modified text on the Mercedes page and also share your posts."

I nodded silently while Toto discussed the whole thing again with George and they went through the text that we had just thought about together. I was really incredibly grateful to Toto and still couldn't understand why he was so committed to me, but he was probably primarily concerned with George so that nothing happened to him. 

While George and I were typing the text on our cell phone, Toto called someone and a short time later Rita appeared in his office. Since she already knew what it was about from me, Toto just updated her and she typed up the other text.

We hereby want to draw your attention to the fact that there is someone who is harassing and threatening the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team and some of their relatives. Please be careful everyone especially when it comes to new people and don't share everything with everyone. If you see or recognize this man then please call the following number: +43 135246

Attached was a small picture of Berger, the one from his paddock pass from Spielberg. Toto had contacted the organizer and received this picture through the registration details, which fortunately was quite up to date. 

With shaky fingers I typed the rest and then looked at George, who looked at me with a sigh.

"Ready?"

I nodded timidly and at the same time we pressed post. Rita then immediately took our stories and then reposted them in Mercedes' story, where the other text was already there. George and she did the same thing on Twitter, which I didn't own. 

I felt my body tense and I quickly turned off the screen. George put his hand on top of mine on the armrest to reassure him and Toto looked at us sympathetically.

"We'll get him, I won't let him threaten my best driver, I still need him," said the Mercedes boss and winked at me, which made me smile, "This bastard won't destroy you two, we stand together here at Mercedes and we will get over this and then win the championship, right George?"

My boyfriend laughed while the other two grinned at him.

"I will try my best," he said and then looked at me, "But with my lucky charm by my side it should be easy done."

He quickly gave me a kiss on the forehead before Toto's phone rang and we quickly left the room after saying thank you and goodbye. After a short small talk with Rita, she also had to go back to work and disappeared. Mine and George's phone vibrated and even though I didn't want to look at it, I unlocked the screen. 

I looked up at George in surprise, who also looked at me in surprise. Emilia, Land, Alex and Lily shared our stories in theirs to make more people aware of it and for a moment I felt hope. Hope that together with my new Formula 1 family I could do something about this asshole. 

Just as I was about to close the app again, I saw that Charles and Carlos had also shared it. The two of them didn't know the whole story, but after our conversation in Monaco they would have figured out their part, and they had probably picked up something in the paddock.