and the award for most stylish F1 WAG goes to...
if you don't think it's Carmen Montero Mundt, then you can argue with the wall.
Plenty of WAGs have come and gone, but only very few make it to a select list when it comes to most memorable style.
In case you need a refresher, WAG is short for “wives and girlfriends (of high-profile athletes).” Though WAGs have probably been around since however long spectator sports have existed, their very presence was never really of significance until Victoria Beckham, who I personally think has the most iconic style on and off the pitch. (Please do yourself a favor and watch the David Beckham documentary on Netflix.)
Though in recent years, a new subgenre of WAGs have emerged and that is from the beautiful, dramatic and anxiety-inducing world of Formula 1 racing.
With the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix capping off yet another chaotic year, I’d like to take a moment or two to appreciate the fashionista that is Carmen Montero Mundt, longtime girlfriend of Mercedes driver George Russell.
Now, there are plenty of chic women (i.e. Lily He, girlfriend of Williams’ Alex Albon; Kika Gomes, girlfriend of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly; and Alexandra Saint Mleux, girlfriend of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc) in the F1 realm, don’t get me wrong. But if you really pay attention to what each WAG wears, whether it be during race weekend or just on a daily, one will immediately recognize that Mundt has the best style, which I would probably describe as very posh English countryside with a sprinkle of Mediterranean island chic.
Since the whole “old money aesthetic” became a fad this year, I noticed both Mundt and Russell beautifully capture the essence of that with their own unique touches when they coordinate outfits (which I normally hate but when it’s done well, I can appreciate it).
Mundt is able to pull off outfit combinations that may be seen on a chic, suburban Hamptons mom (think Kelly Rutherford), yet it doesn’t age her at all. She doesn’t try too hard to stand out and wear skimpy or over-the-top clothing. She knows what pieces and silhouettes work for her and she elevates it, in every way. It also helps that she knows the power of accessorizing, has luscious hair and is beautiful.
There’s one outfit in particular that I’ve been obsessed with since I saw it, which was from the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix. Mundt wore a brown sleeveless jumpsuit by Mango under a chambray shirt by Polo Ralph Lauren, which she tied at the waist to show her Zara waist belt. She also wore sunglasses by Nanushka, a double knot leather bag by Bottega Veneta and loafers by Baudoin & Lange (a brand she actually works very closely with).
I don’t think I would’ve ever been able to deduce that she was wearing Mango (which I’m not hating on by the way, I absolutely love Mango) or Polo because she elevated those two pieces by styling them the way she did.
In case it wasn’t already obvious from just a quick glimpse into her Instagram, Mundt is a big fan of Ralph Lauren, Dior and Bottega. (I know this from a dedicated IG style account for her called @CarmenMundtClothes. Shoutout to whoever made this, you saved my life.)
The moment I knew Mundt and Russell were almost like the “royal couple” of Formula 1 (no, it’s not just because they’re English) was when I saw this gorgeous picture of them during Wimbledon in July.
Mundt, a finance professional based in London, wore an orange linen blazer by Lauren Ralph Lauren (mind you, orange is a very difficult color to pull off), over a black-and-white striped shirt and pleated georgette trousers, both of which are from Ralph Lauren. She accessorized the outfit with a skinny waist belt by Lauren Ralph Lauren, a medium Lady D-Joy basket bag by Dior, sunglasses by Ray-Ban and espadrille wedges by Castañer.
It doesn’t seem like Mundt works with a stylist since I haven’t come across one in her posts, though she does occasionally work with someone named Nat Rosenfeld.
I will halt my in-depth analysis of Mundt’s style here so you can scroll down and see some of my personal favorite looks of her yourself. Hope you get as much style inspo from her as I did.
