British racing driver George Russell has had a successful number of seasons in Formula One since he joined the grid with Williams in 2019 and was finally rewarded with a drive for front-running team Mercedes in 2022.
| Nationality | British |
|---|---|
| Born | George William Russell 15 February 1998 King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England |
Russell has steadily risen through the motorsport ranks, beginning in karting, where he secured back-to-back victories in the junior Karting European Championship in 2011 and 2012. These early successes paved the way for his entry into junior formulae.
Russell’s first major success in single-seaters came in 2014 when he competed in the BRDC Formula 4 Championship. In his rookie season, he clinched the championship title. This victory was the first of several major titles he would secure on his path to Formula 1.
In 2017, Russell moved to ART Grand Prix to compete in the GP3 Series. He dominated the championship, winning the title with two races to spare in his rookie season. Following his GP3 success, Russell graduated to the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2018, once again with ART Grand Prix. In his rookie season, he claimed the title, becoming only the fifth driver in history to win the GP2/F2 championship in their first attempt. His back-to-back titles in GP3 and Formula 2 mirrored the achievements of other future Formula One stars.
Russell made his Formula 1 debut with Williams in 2019, partnering with Robert Kubica. Despite driving for a team struggling at the back of the grid, Russell impressed with his qualifying performances and race pace, frequently outperforming his car. I
In 2020, he briefly substituted for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, where he led most of the race and was on course for a maiden win before a pit stop error and a puncture derailed his chances.
In 2021, Russell achieved his first podium at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, which was shortened due to rain. His ability to extract the maximum from an uncompetitive car earned him the nickname “Mr. Saturday” for his exceptional qualifying performances.
In 2022, Russell was rewarded with his patience at Williams with a move to Mercedes, replacing Valtteri Bottas and partnering with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. In his first season with the team, Russell secured his maiden pole position at the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix and went on to achieve his first Formula One victory at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Although Mercedes faced challenges in 2023, struggling to adapt to the new rules, in 2024, he bounced back with a victory at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. He made headlines later in the season after becoming the first driver in 30 years to be disqualified from a race win at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix due to a technical infringement.
As of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, Russell has achieved two race wins, three pole positions, eight fastest laps, and 14 podiums.
Russell has a contract that extends until at least the end of the 2025 season with Mercedes.
