How do you spot a future Formula One world champion? Firstly, you look at his performance in the junior Series before he entered F1. Then you look at his performance in his rookie and subsequent years, not always looking for wins but rather how he performed under pressure and how he has improved year on year.

George Russel is one of the young drivers who has ticked all these boxes racing for Williams on the F1 circuit. Racing in the least competitive car, George Russel has impressed everyone with his ability to extract the most performance from the F1car while maintaining a calm demeanor.

With George joining Mercedes for the 2022 season, pundits predict great things. He ended his time with Formula 4, Formula 3, and Formula 2 as world champion. He has some very stiff competition in F1, his teammate seven, times world champion, Lewis Hamilton, and competitors like the current world champion, Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc; the hill he has to climb will be steep, but he has the potential to achieve greatness in F1.

If you’re looking for some F1 merchandise, check out the awesome stuff at the official F1 store here.

27 Facts About George Russel You Didn’t Know

George Russel will soon become a household name, possibly matching the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. The following are 27 facts you may not know to help you understand this exciting new F1 star.

Who Is George Russel?

George Russel was born on 15 February 1998 at King’s Lynn in England and is one of the most talented young drivers to join the F1 Series.

His father is Steve Russell, and his mother is Alison Russell. He has two elder siblings,

  1. His brother Benjy (age 36 years old, born 18 July 1986) has raced in professional go-karting in his younger days.
  2. Sister Cara Wickham (nee Russel) acts as his assistant at George Russell Promotions Limited.

He spent his early years in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, and was educated at Wisbech Grammar School. When he turned 18, he moved to Milton Keynes to be closer to his racing team.

He supports Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club.

George’s Career In Go-Karting

George Russel started go-karting in 2006 when he was eight years old. He progressed through the cadet class, and by 2009 he was the MSA British champion and British Open champion. In 2010 he moved through to the Rotax Mini Max category, where he went on to become the Super One British champion, Formula Kart Stars British champion and won the Kartmasters British Grand Prix.

At age 13, he joined the KF3 class, won the SKUSA Supernationals title, and became the CIK-FIA European Champion.

He successfully defended this title the following year at fourteen years of age. His last year in karting was not as successful when he finished in 19th position in the KF1 CIK-FIA World Championship. 

In 2014 He Joined Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula 4

In 2014 he joined the Koiranen GP racing in the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps championship. Even though he missed around the championship because of illness, he still finished 4th in the standings.

During 2014 he joined Formula 4 with Lanan Racing and went on to win the title in the BRDC Formula 4 Championship.

In 2015 He Moved Up To Formula 3

In 2015 he graduated to Formula 3, where he finished sixth overall in his first year. He finished second to Charles Leclerc (who went on to join Ferrari’s F1 team) in the rookie championship. In 2016 he switched teams to join Hitech GP and achieved 3rd place in the championship.

George Russel joined the GP3 Series with the ART Grand Prix team in 2017, where he won the Series.

In 2018 He Joined The Formula 2 Series

In 2018, still with ART Grand Prix, he joined the FIA Formula 2 Championship. Once again, with his trademark consistent driving ability, he went on to win the championship.

In early 2017 George was signed by Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport’s junior driver program. He made his F1 practice debut during the Brazilian Grand Prix, driving during the FP1 session of Force India. He again served in this role at the last race of the season, Abu Dhabi.

In 2018 he was one of the Pirelli Tyre Test Drivers driving a Force India car at the Spanish Grand Prix track. He completed 123 laps in a full spec’d 2018 car.

Finally, In 2019 He Moved To F1

In his 13th year of racing competitively, he finally got his chance to race in F1.

For his rookie year in 2019, he joined Williams, signing a multi-year deal. The Williams FW42 car was the slowest and least competitive on the track, and his only real competition in the first year was Robert Kubica, his teammate.

In 2020 Robert Kubica was replaced by Nicholas Latifi.

His real opportunity came when COVID struck down Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes, and George was co-opted to be the replacement driver in Lewis’s car in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.

George had a fantastic race first by achieving 2nd place on the grid (having missed out to Valtteri Bottas by only 26 milliseconds). Until 20 laps remained, he went on to lead the race. He pitted, and incredibly the Mercedes pit crew fitted Valtteri Bottas’s front tires to his car, forcing him to re-pit on the following lap.

He was affected by a slow puncture and was forced to pit again with ten laps to go. From an almost assured win, the pit crews and a “mechanical error” reduced his position on the grid to 9th place.

Despite the final position, he had impressed Toto Wolff and the team at Mercedes that he has earned a spot at Mercedes. In 2022 he officially joins Mercedes alongside Lewis Hamilton, who will hopefully continue driving for this year.

Where Is George Russel From?

George was born in King’s Lynn in England. He grew up in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, and was went to the Wisbech Grammar School.

He lived in Milton Keynes until the end of 2021, when he rented a flat in Monaco.

Where Was George Russel Born?

George was born in King’s Lynn in the United Kingdom.

What School Did George Russell Go To?

He went to the Wisbech Grammar School in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.

He eventually left the formal education environment to be home-schooled, which enabled him to focus on his motorsport career better.

Where Does George Russell Live?

George was born in Kings Lynn in the United Kingdom and grew up in He grew up in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.

When he was eighteen, he moved to Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire.

During the lockdown, he lived in his parent’s house with his sister’s family. His trainer also moved into his parents’ house because George wanted to stay in peak physical condition when F1 resumed.

Towards the latter part of 2021, he moved to a rented flat in Monaco.

Is George Russell A Pay Driver?

At Williams, George was a pay driver, i.e., a driver who drives for free and has personal sponsorship, which helps finance the team’s operations.

He was part of the Mercedes Junior drivers’ team during that time. Although the financial arrangements weren’t publicized, it is believed that while he was at Williams, he received a salary of $1 million.

What Car Does George Russell Drive?

For the period 2019 to the end of the 2021 season, George drove for Williams.

Although he drove the least competitive car on the track, he always out-qualified his teammate, earning 16 championship points and one podium; this was an impressive performance considering the car he was driving.

Toto Wolf and his team at Mercedes have spotted George’s talent for the 2022 season. George will be racing for the Silver Arrows; this is a massive boost for George as he moves from one of the weakest F1 teams to the team that has won eight consecutive constructor championships.

Lewis Hamilton, seven times world champion, will be his teammate in 2022, which will undoubtedly be a huge positive benefit for George.

What Is George Russell’s Salary?

At Williams, as a pay driver,  it was reputed that George earned $1 million per year.

In 2022 at Mercedes, his salary will increase to $5 million per year.

Is George Russell Rich?

George is well off, and for a 23year old, he might even be considered rich. His potential wealth has seen a massive increase with his move to Mercedes. If he continues with the same form he has shown in the past, there is a potential that he could rank amongst the top F1 drivers.

George lives a flamboyant but not over-the-top lifestyle. He holidays in some exotic locations, including St Barts and Santorini.

He enjoys shopping for and wearing tailored clothes – perhaps Lewis and George will have more than racing in common?

George drives a Mercedes AMG GT, ironically, which he purchased before being signed on by the team.

He rents a flat in Monaco but stays with his parents when he returns home.

What Is George Russell Net Worth?

According to Fox news George is worth approximately $1 million.

Does George Russell Come From A Rich Family?

Very little is known about his family’s financial situation.

They are generally not believed to be a very wealthy family as Steve, George’s dad, was a small business owner of a successful “peas and beans” business called Dunns, sold in 2012.

His mother, Alison, worked as a hairdresser.

Steve Russel sold his business to help George with his career aspiration.

George persuaded his whole family to purchase Mercedes Benz’s. They have some financial means; however, the extent is unknown.

Who Is George Russell Father?

George’s dad is Steve Russel. Steve played a big part in enabling George to pursue his dream of a motorsport career.

In 2012 he sold his business which enabled him to acquire the means to facilitate George’s aspirations.

Does George Russell Have A Brother?

George Russell’s big brother is 36-year-old Benjy Russell. Benjy was a successful go-kart racer, and he introduced George to the sport.

Does George Russell Have A Sister?

George’s big sister Cara is the middle of the three siblings.

She presently runs George Russell Promotions Limited.

Who Is George Russell Dating?

George previously dated Seychelle De Vries, the sister of Nyck de Vries, a Mercedes academy driver. Nyck De Vries won the 2020–21 Formula E World Championship, the 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship, and the 2010 and 2011 Karting World Championships.

They dated from 2017 and called it a day in 2021.

Recently he has been seen with Carmen Montero, who studied a degree in business management and finance at the University of Westminster.

She presently works for an investment firm in the United Kingdom.

They have recently holidayed in Greece with Nicholas Latifi and his partner and have been seen at races together.

Who Is George Russell’s Manager?

George’s commercial manager is Harry Soden, director of Infinity Sports Manager, a specialist management firm working with motor racers.

Does George Russell Take The Knee?

Yes, George Russel did “take the knee.”

Some drivers, such as Daniil Kvyat, stated that although he is firmly against racism, culturally, in his country, people will only take the knee for God and his flag. He and other drivers were happy to wear T-shirts stating ‘End Racism,’ which they felt delivered the same message.

Afterward, George said he thought it was the right thing for him to do; however, he had no issue with drivers who didn’t take the knee because everyone stands against racism in all its forms as a driver’s group.

Does George Russell Wear Mascara?

George is known for his striking eyelashes, but he doesn’t wear mascara.

George’s eyelashes have become something of a joke amongst female fans who claim to be jealous of his eyelashes!

Has George Russell Won A Race?

George has never won an F1 race; this will hopefully change with his 2022 move to Mercedes.

However, in other levels of the sport, he has achieved champion status.

  1. He won the BRDC Formula 4 Championship in 2014.
  2. He placed third in the Masters of Formula 2nd  in 2015.
  3. He was placed 3rd in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship in2016.
  4. He won the GP3 Series in 2017.
  5. He won the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2019.

In the 7 years between 2014 and 2021, he has won 20 races, achieved 46 podiums, and raced from pole position 16 times.

With the form he showed when he was the stand-in driver for Mercedes at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, George will use the podium well.

Has George Russell Ever Scored A Point?

George Russel won three F1 Driver championship points in 2020 when he was placed eighteenth overall, and he increased the point tally to 16 in 2021 when he was placed fifteenth.

George filled in for a COVID-infected Lewis Hamilton at the Italian Grand Prix, and he won two points.

George finished tenth at the Russian Grand Prix, which would be his last points finish for the Williams team.

Has George Russell Been In Q3?

In the 2021 season, George qualified 11th at the Styrian Grand Prix; he missed out on getting into Q3 by eight milliseconds.

He achieved the first Q3 run for Williams at the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix, where he started the race in 8th position.

In the Belgium Grand Prix, which was seriously affected by rain, he not only ran in Q3 but also qualified second on the grid; this was the first time Williams has achieved a front-row grid position since 2017. With the rain stopping the race, George maintained his grid position and had his first podium appearance after being placed second.

Has George Russell Left Williams?

George raced for Williams in the 2019, 2020, and 2021 seasons. In 2022 he is signed to race for the Mercedes team.

His time at Williams must have been difficult because he was driving one of the least competitive cars on the grid. Despite this, he will probably consider his three seasons at Williams to have been very valuable.

Concerning William’s previous performance, George achieved a lot. In 2020 he out-qualified his teammate in every session. In 2021 he placed second on the grid at the Belgium Grand Prix, and with the race being stopped due to bad weather, he placed 2nd.

Why Is George Russell Called Mr. Saturday?

George’s nickname is Mr. Saturday due to his exceptional practice and qualifying performances (with his uncompetitive car). He battled to convert his Saturday performance into racing points in the primary race on Sunday.

Why Is George Russell Number 63?

George has chosen to race under the number 63 because this was the number his brother, Benjy Russell, used when he raced karts. Benjy was a very successful go-kart racer and inspired George to participate.

Will George Russell Drive For Mercedes In 2022?

George’s impressive performance has kept him firmly on team Mercedes’s radar.

He replaced Lewis Hamilton, who suffered from COVID19, to drive Lewis’s car in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.

George impressed everyone by qualifying second and leading the race until only 20 laps remained. The Mercedes pit crew made a huge mistake by fitting Bottas’s front tires to George’s car, requiring him to pit again.

With only ten laps to go, his car got a puncture, forcing him to pit again. The pit crew mistakes and the puncture reduced his position over the finishing line to 9th place.

Despite this, he showed enough promise to be invited to replace Valtteri Bottas as the second Mercedes driver for the 2022 season.

We are still not sure whether Lewis Hamilton will return to F1. If he doesn’t, George may end up being the senior driver for Mercedes; this is probably not what George wants, as a year or two under Lewis’s tutelage would be of incredible benefit for him.

Will George Russell Replace Bottas?

George Russell will replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes. After a combination of lost form and terrible luck, Valtteri, after five years, is leaving Mercedes to join Alfa Romeo.

Although Lewis Hamilton has described Valtteri as the ideal teammate, and there were rumors that he was pushing for Valtteri to remain, he has expressed full support for George. He is happy to mentor him while they race together.

From 2022 George will be the number two driver at Mercedes.

Are George Russell And Lando Norris Friends?

The three musketeers, George Russell, Alex Albon, and Lando Norris, are all friends and have been so since their karting days.

Lando Norris (who came third in the drivers ranking in the 2021 season) and George Russell, both British drivers, are powerful rivals and best friends.

They tease each other in press conferences and on social media. At the Sakhir grand Prix, Lando jumped from last in the grid to tenth in the first lap.

He could not get better than that, as he just held onto his position for the last 86 laps of the race. George was seen comforting Lando after the race.

Conclusion

George Russel is the consummate British Grand Prix Formula one driver. He works well with his team, is liked by everyone on the grid, and keeps a sense of calm despite an out-of-control situation.

His fortunes have changed, and after driving one of the least competitive cars on the grid, for 2022, he is joining one of the top two teams with Lewis Hamilton as the lead driver.

The lessons he will learn and the growth he will experience when sitting under the watchful eye of Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton will change his paradigm. No longer will he be congratulated for getting through Q1, Q2, and Q3; this will become his expectation of him.

The juggernaut, the Mercedes team, has the resources, experience, and knowledge to help George become a multi-time world champion.

Watch this space! The best of George is still coming, and once he gets his feet under the desk, “so to speak,” his future is wide open.

References

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