George Russell (racing driver)

George Russell
Born	(1998-02-15) February 15, 1998 King's Lynn, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Occupation	Racing driver
Years active	2014–present
Known for	Competing in Formula One for Mercedes; multiple Formula One Grand Prix wins

George William Russell (; born 15 February 1998) is a British racing driver currently competing in Formula One for Mercedes. Over the course of seven seasons, he has achieved multiple victories in Formula One Grands Prix.

Hailing from King's Lynn, Russell started karting competitively at age seven, securing consecutive junior direct-drive Karting European Championship titles in 2011 and 2012. Advancing through the ranks of junior formula racing, he won the 2014 BRDC Formula 4 Championship, followed by successive championships in the 2017 GP3 Series and the 2018 FIA Formula 2 Championship with ART. Notably, he was the fifth driver to claim the GP2/F2 title as a rookie and only the second to win both GP3 and F2 championships during their debut seasons.

Since joining the Mercedes Junior Team in 2017, Russell made his Formula One debut with Williams in , partnering with Robert Kubica. He stepped in for Lewis Hamilton at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, leading most of the event but was thwarted from victory due to a team mistake and a puncture. Russell achieved his first podium finish at the abbreviated 2021 Belgian Grand Prix driving for Williams. In , he moved to Mercedes, replacing Valtteri Bottas alongside Hamilton, securing his inaugural pole position at the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix and his first race win at the 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix, ultimately finishing fourth in the Drivers' Championship. Following a winless season with Mercedes, Russell claimed victories at both the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix and the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, becoming the first driver in three decades to be disqualified from a race win at the .

As of the , Russell's record includes wins, pole positions, fastest laps, and podium finishes. His contract with Mercedes extends through at least 2025.

Early life

Born in King's Lynn, Norfolk, George Russell is the son of Steve and Alison. His father operated a seed and pulses business until selling it in 2012 to support George’s early racing ambitions. He is the youngest among three siblings, which include his sister Cara and brother Benjy. Russell spent his childhood between Tydd St Giles/Wisbech and Castle Rising.

Russell took up karting at seven years old, inspired by his older brother Benjy, who was a competitive karter and winner of the 2007 Super 1 National Kart Championship in Rotax Max. The racing number 63 that Russell uses originates from a kart that his brother rented.

He attended Wisbech Grammar School before transitioning to homeschooling to dedicate more time to racing. At eighteen, he moved to Milton Keynes to be closer to his junior racing team.

Karting (2006–2013)

Beginning his karting journey in 2006, Russell advanced to cadet level by 2009, capturing both the MSA British championship and British Open championship titles. In 2010, he progressed into the Rotax Mini Max category, where he won several British events including the Super One championship, Formula Kart Stars championship, and Kartmasters British Grand Prix.

In 2011, Russell stepped up to compete in the KF3 class with Intrepid karting team support alongside teammates such as Intrepid’s Alex Albon and Charles Leclerc. That year saw him crowned champion of both the CIK-FIA European Championship and SKUSA SuperNationals. He made history in 2012 by becoming the first driver to successfully defend the Junior European Championship title and narrowly missed retaining his SKUSA crown following a disqualification dispute. His final year in karting was 2013 when he raced in KF1, finishing nineteenth in the CIK-FIA World Championship.

Formula 4 (2014)

Russell began his single-seater career in 2014, participating in the BRDC Formula 4 Championship with Lanan Racing as well as the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps series with Koiranen GP. He maintained the lead throughout most of the BRDC F4 season but relinquished the points advantage to teammate Arjun Maini prior to the final event at Snetterton, partly due to a bout of chickenpox during mid-season. He triumphed in that crucial race, clinching the championship title. His strong results earned him a GP3 test opportunity at Yas Marina Circuit.

Formula Renault 2.0 (2014)

Russell encountered a difficult campaign in Formula Renault 2.0. Although initially set to compete for Prema, he was blocked by Lance Stroll's father—who co-owns and financially supports Prema—even though Stroll himself was racing in Italian F4 rather than Formula Renault. Consequently, Russell joined Koiranen GP, which dominated the championship with a total of 423 points compared to Prema’s 61. Nevertheless, his teammate Nyck de Vries, who was three years his senior, won nine out of twelve races, overshadowing Russell’s efforts. Reflecting on that period, Russell later remarked that Tech 1 Racing might have been a more suitable choice but acknowledged de Vries as "one of the very best," especially in karting.

Additionally, Russell appeared as a guest driver in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, where he claimed victory at Jerez while driving for Tech 1.

At the conclusion of the season, Russell secured the Autosport BRDC Award following tests in Formula Two, DTM, and GT3 vehicles. At just seventeen years old, he became the youngest-ever winner, prompting the BRDC to lower its minimum age requirement. He was also the youngest driver selected for the BRDC’s SuperStars junior driver mentorship programme.

2015: European F3 debut and Masters podium finish

Although initially anticipated to compete full-time in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, Russell’s victory in the BRDC Award led him to bypass that series and step directly into European Formula Three competition for two seasons.

During 2015, Russell raced with Carlin, affiliated with Volkswagen. He ended the year sixth overall, securing one race win and three podium finishes. PaddockScout highlighted his race pace and overtaking skills as notable strengths, while identifying qualifying performance as an area for improvement. He ranked second in the Rookies' Championship behind Charles Leclerc; however, fellow rookie Lance Stroll achieved a higher position in the overall standings. Russell also finished as runner-up at the 2015 Masters of Formula 3 invitational event, trailing only Antonio Giovinazzi.

2016: Third place in European F3 with Hitech

In the 2016 season, Russell signed with Hitech GP, a newly established Mercedes partner entering its first full European F3 campaign. During that year, Prema reportedly received exclusive Mercedes engines and technical assistance, including suspension upgrades developed by Williams. Lance Stroll—whose family funded Prema—secured the championship title, with Russell finishing third behind Stroll and Maximilian Günther. Despite this outcome, Mercedes was impressed by Russell’s performance and subsequently inducted him into its driver academy at season’s end. After advancing to Formula One, Russell later expressed doubts about the competitiveness of the 2016 field, describing it as "almost laughable."

Mercedes Junior Team

As Russell advanced through the junior racing ranks, the associated expenses rose sharply—estimated at "£50K annually to compete, £200K to secure victory." His father, Steve, invested approximately £1.5 million in supporting his career but emphasized the importance of joining a junior driver programme by the age of sixteen.

Russell reached out to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and impressed him with a detailed Microsoft PowerPoint presentation explaining why he merited a place in the Mercedes Junior Team. Wolff agreed to finance his 2015 European Formula Three campaign; however, after Prema (Mercedes's leading F3 partner) declined, Russell opted for Volkswagen, which did not have an F1 entry at that time. Although he received a BMW DTM offer at the end of the season, he remained focused on Formula Three with hopes of securing a Mercedes junior role. In 2016, he transitioned to a Mercedes-powered F3 outfit, while Wolff appointed him as a simulator driver.

Russell was officially inducted into the Mercedes Junior Team at the beginning of 2017. Wolff set high expectations: to win both GP3 and Formula 2 championships before stepping up to Formula One.

GP3 Series (2017)

Backed financially by Mercedes, Russell signed with ART Grand Prix for the 2017 campaign. ART, dominating the series with six titles in seven years, claimed the top four spots in the championship standings that season.

In his rookie year, Russell captured the championship with four wins and finished 79 points clear of second-placed Jack Aitken. He secured the title with two rounds remaining. Notable achievements included an outstanding weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, where he earned a victory, a second place, two pole positions, and two fastest laps, as well as engaging in a fierce three-way contest at Monza.

FIA Formula 2 (2018)

For the 2018 season, ART promoted Russell to their Formula Two squad. Concurrently, Mercedes elevated him to first-team reserve driver status alongside Pascal Wehrlein. The 2018 F2 field was one of the strongest in recent memory, featuring future Formula One talents such as Lando Norris, Alex Albon, Nyck de Vries, and Nicholas Latifi.

ART was unable to replicate its previous F3 success as Norris's Carlin team claimed the teams' championship. Despite Formula Two being a spec series with uniform engines, Russell, Albon, and Norris observed variations in engine performance during practice sessions. Russell reportedly had access to the most competitive engine that year, while Norris's power unit was strong early on. After ten races, Norris led the championship standings; however, Russell mounted a midseason charge by finishing first or second in five out of six races and consistently qualifying within the top four—except once due to engine complications. He ultimately secured the title with a 68-point margin over Norris.

Russell became only the fifth rookie champion in GP2/F2 history and joined Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hülkenberg, and Charles Leclerc as one of four drivers to win GP3/F3 and GP2/F2 titles back-to-back. Additionally, he was the second rookie to claim both championships—a distinction later matched by Oscar Piastri and Gabriel Bortoleto.

Formula One career

In October 2015, Russell experienced his inaugural Formula One test, piloting the McLaren MP4-26 at Silverstone as a reward for securing the 2014 Autosport BRDC Award. Upon joining the Mercedes Junior Team, Mercedes granted him additional opportunities to test their machinery. His first drive in a Mercedes car occurred in April 2017, when he tested the 2015 Mercedes W06 at Portimão. Throughout 2017 and 2018, Russell participated in official test sessions for Mercedes and also tested for Force India-Mercedes in 2018.

Russell's debut during a Grand Prix weekend came late in the 2017 season, where he took part in free practice sessions with Force India at the Brazilian and Abu Dhabi races. The following year, Mercedes elevated him to the role of first-team reserve driver.

Williams (2019–2021)

In October 2018, Mercedes facilitated Russell’s entry into Formula One by securing a seat for him at engine partner Williams-Mercedes. Although Russell had pursued a Williams drive after winning the 2017 GP3 championship, he initially advanced to Formula 2 instead. He inked a three-year deal with Williams while continuing his duties as a Mercedes test driver. His teammates included Robert Kubica in 2019 and Nicholas Latifi during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Russell’s first outing for Williams occurred during the 2018 post-season test at Yas Marina Circuit in the FW41.

Russell’s period at Williams proved demanding. Mercedes had anticipated that Williams would provide a competitive platform, given the team’s consistent top-five finishes in the constructors' championship from 2015 through 2017. However, by the time Russell joined, Williams had declined significantly and only managed to deliver a reliably points-scoring car in 2021, his final year there. Financial difficulties were acute; Williams even contemplated replacing Russell with Kevin Magnussen after 2020 if Magnussen could bring substantial sponsorship backing.

Russell set a record for the third-highest number of race starts before scoring points, totaling 37. Despite limited success—accumulating just three points and ranking 18th overall in 2020—team principals rated him as the sixth-best driver that season. In 2021, Russell contributed significantly to reviving Williams’ competitiveness, amassing 16 points and securing an uncommon podium finish.

2019–2020: Rookie campaign and initial points

Williams faced considerable challenges in 2019. At Russell’s Formula One debut during the , he qualified 19th and finished in 16th place, acknowledging that the car was approximately "four seconds off the pace" and that he was lapped multiple times. Throughout that season, Russell mainly competed against teammate Robert Kubica, outqualifying him in all twenty-one races but only surpassing non-Williams competitors from round six onward at the .

Russell’s best finish was an 11th place at the rain-affected , where Williams introduced an upgrade package. A combination of retirements and penalties among rivals assisted his position; however, a missed pit stop call for slick tyres alongside a wide corner allowed Kubica to overtake him and secure Williams's sole point of that year. Russell later described this incident as his most disappointing moment in racing. He narrowly missed scoring points again at the , finishing just outside in 12th place by a margin of 1.668 seconds. He concluded the season ranked 20th in the Drivers' Championship without scoring any points, whereas Kubica managed one point. Russell found it difficult witnessing fellow rookies Alex Albon and Lando Norris achieve points finishes and podiums after outperforming them during their Formula 2 careers.

Williams demonstrated improved pace throughout 2020 but failed to score any points all season. Russell came close on multiple occasions: at the (where he started from 11th but dropped to 16th following an off-track excursion), the (finishing 12th), the (reaching ninth before ending up eleventh), and at the , where he crashed from tenth position under safety car conditions.

Russell earned his first Formula One points at the , stepping up to race for Mercedes when Lewis Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19. His performance garnered widespread praise from both Mercedes and media outlets. He narrowly missed securing pole position, overtook teammate Valtteri Bottas into turn one, and led most of the race distance. However, a pit stop error involving fitting Bottas's front tyres onto his car due to radio communication failure forced two extra stops. After recovering to second place and closing on leader Sergio Pérez, a late puncture necessitated another pit stop. Ultimately, Russell finished ninth, collecting two points plus one additional point for setting the fastest lap.

Reflecting on this race, he noted that while his driving remained consistent, his subsequent performances with Williams did not match this level of competitiveness. At the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Russell sported a special helmet paying tribute to the Williams family following their ownership change in October. He completed the season ranked eighteenth in the Drivers' Championship with three points—all earned driving for Mercedes.

2021: First Podium Achievement

After Russell’s impressive displays in 2020, Mercedes considered loaning him to another team for the 2021 campaign, but Williams opted to keep him. Rumors circulated that he would succeed Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes in 2022 once their contracts expired. The two drivers collided during the 2021 , as Russell attempted an overtake on Bottas over a damp section, resulting in a crash that forced both to retire. Initially, Russell held Bottas responsible but later issued an apology. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was more critical of Russell than Bottas, highlighting the rarity of a collision involving a Mercedes and a Williams. Both drivers publicly minimized the incident after Bottas returned to Mercedes in .

Despite the retirement at Imola, Russell contributed significantly to Williams’s strongest season in years. He narrowly missed scoring points in several events: (due to gearbox failure), (recovering from 19th to 12th), (suffering hydraulic issues after qualifying 10th), and (finishing 12th). At the , he achieved an 8th place qualifying position—the best for Williams since 2017—and maintained 10th late into the race before Fernando Alonso overtook him following a fierce defensive effort. Alonso commended Russell’s performance and forecasted future podiums and victories.

Russell finally earned his first points for Williams at the , advancing from 17th on the grid to finish 8th. Shortly afterward, Mercedes announced his promotion to their main squad for the 2022 season. In the subsequent race, Russell secured his inaugural podium at the rain-affected , starting from second—the first front-row start for Williams since 2017. The race was halted after two safety car laps due to heavy rain, guaranteeing Russell his first podium finish. He also scored points at the (9th) and (10th, after qualifying third). Concluding the year, he ranked 15th in the Drivers' Championship with 16 points, surpassing teammate Nicholas Latifi’s total of seven.

Mercedes Era (2022–present)

Russell joined Mercedes in 2022, partnering seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton through to 2024. His arrival coincided with regulatory changes that disrupted Mercedes's previous dominance. The team finished third in 2022, improved to second in 2023, and slipped to fourth in 2024, securing four wins that season. Hamilton moved to Ferrari following the conclusion of 2024.

Throughout their three-year collaboration, Russell and Hamilton were closely matched on track. Russell outperformed Hamilton in two seasons, achieving three victories compared to Hamilton’s two, and outqualifying him by a margin of 39–29, while Hamilton amassed 20 podiums against Russell’s 14 and narrowly led Russell in total points (697–695), overtaking him on the final lap of his last race with Mercedes. After 2024, Russell acknowledged gaining invaluable knowledge from Hamilton, describing him as "the greatest driver of all time" and a role model within motorsport.

2022–2023: First Victory and Pole Position

The seasons of 2022 and 2023 presented challenges for Mercedes as their new aerodynamic design performed well in simulations but proved difficult to manage on track. Across these two years, the team managed just one win. During the opening nine races of 2022, Russell and Hamilton focused on testing experimental components, with Russell establishing a 34-point advantage over Hamilton by round nine—a gap team principal Toto Wolff attributed to Hamilton’s setup trials. By season’s end, Russell edged Hamilton by a single point. Despite a demanding year, Russell reached important milestones: his first podium in Melbourne, first pole position in Hungary, and maiden Grand Prix and sprint victories at Interlagos. He finished fourth overall in the Drivers' Championship, outscoring Hamilton by 35 points.

In the following year, Mercedes and Russell continued facing difficulties. Early signs were promising with Russell leading the Australian GP until a red flag interrupted proceedings and securing a podium finish in Barcelona. However, results deteriorated due to various issues such as an unprecedented seven pit stops at Zandvoort, a last-lap crash in Singapore, an aggressive strategy call at Suzuka, and a collision with Hamilton following a front-row start in Qatar.

Russell closed out the season with a third-place finish at Abu Dhabi, aiding Mercedes in clinching second place in the Constructors' Championship. He ranked eighth in the Drivers' standings—the lowest placement for a Mercedes driver since 2012—and ended up 59 points behind Hamilton. Although describing his campaign as "a complete disaster," Russell expressed satisfaction with his contributions to the team's achievements. Subsequently, Mercedes extended his contract through the conclusion of 2025.

2024

For the 2024 campaign, Mercedes adopted a significantly different design philosophy. The newly introduced Mercedes W15 demonstrated strong pace but suffered from inconsistency, excessive tyre wear, and setup difficulties. Despite these early hurdles, Russell acknowledged improvements occurring behind the scenes. During the third round in Australia, Russell was involved in a severe crash while attempting to pass Fernando Alonso—who was penalized with 20 seconds for brake-checking—leaving Russell exposed for approximately ten seconds before a virtual safety car was activated. He emerged unharmed and called for automated safety car deployment to avoid similar situations.

Midway through the season, Mercedes secured six consecutive podium finishes. Russell achieved pole position and a podium in Montreal, earned his second career win at Spielberg after a collision between the frontrunners, took pole at Silverstone but retired due to mechanical failure, and initially won at Spa, only to be disqualified post-race—a decision Mercedes accepted responsibility for. Media speculation suggested he might have also been victorious in Canada.

Later in the year, Mercedes’ performance showed variability, yet Russell remained a strong contender. At the , he led the race until a pit stop call was followed by a red flag, enabling competitors to change tyres without penalty. He dominated the , securing victory from pole by leading 49 of 50 laps. Russell again started from pole in Qatar after Max Verstappen received a grid penalty for impeding him. Verstappen openly criticized Russell’s appeals and predicted aggressive on-track confrontations, intensifying their rivalry. Verstappen passed Russell early in the race; after two safety car periods, Russell finished fourth.

Russell ended the season sixth in the Drivers' Championship standings, finishing 22 points ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton.

2025

In , following Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari, Mercedes paired George Russell with Junior Team driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Russell’s contract is set to expire this season, with team principal Toto Wolff suggesting potential extensions remain under consideration. Reigning champions McLaren are viewed as strong favourites for both titles; Russell claimed the MCL39 has the capability to win every race—a statement McLaren dismissed as exaggeration.

Russell commenced the year with four podium finishes across six rounds—Australia, China, Bahrain, and Miami—mostly trailing McLaren drivers. In Australia’s wet conditions, he adopted a cautious approach and inherited third place after Oscar Piastri went off track. At Shanghai, he qualified second but finished third after being overtaken by Lando Norris. After a subdued fifth place at Suzuka, he secured second in Bahrain despite challenges with brakes and electronics, earning praise for his adaptability. Mercedes encountered tyre overheating issues in Jeddah, resulting in fifth and sixth place finishes. In Miami, Antonelli out-qualified Russell for the first time; however, an unconventional start on hard tyres combined with a near-free pit stop during a virtual safety car allowed Russell to claim third.

Significant upgrades were introduced during the Imola-Monaco-Barcelona sequence. The new suspension debuted at Imola but was withdrawn after one race before being reintroduced at Montreal where Russell dominated to achieve his first Formula One hat-trick (pole position, race win, fastest lap). This performance surge was short-lived; at Spa-Francorchamps, Russell reported continued difficulties with the temperamental W16. Mercedes reverted to previous suspension settings at Hungary where Russell secured a podium by overtaking a fading Charles Leclerc. Aside from these podiums, his best result was fourth at Barcelona after qualifying fourth and recovering positions late in the race despite contact with Max Verstappen—who later received a penalty and expressed regret over the incident.

Russell’s steady performances amid technical challenges have maintained Mercedes’ competitiveness though they remain behind McLaren’s pace. The team continues refining upgrades as they navigate a transitional phase following Hamilton’s departure.

Driving style

Dave Robson from Williams described Russell as a natural driver with an ability to quickly adjust to different vehicles. He is particularly recognized for his skill in managing cars that become unstable when entering corners. When compared to his former teammate Lewis Hamilton, Russell tends to brake earlier, initiate turns later, and maintain higher speeds through and exiting corners. Analysts in 2024 noted that Russell's driving approach is better aligned with the current generation of ground effect cars than Hamilton's, a fact underscored by Mercedes' midseason enhancements.

At the beginning of his career, Russell's fluid driving was often likened to Jenson Button’s style. Robson mentioned that Russell strives to blend Button’s smoothness with Hamilton’s assertiveness. Since joining Mercedes, he has adopted a more aggressive V-shaped cornering technique reminiscent of Mika Häkkinen, although Hamilton’s V-shaped lines remain more pronounced. Jolyon Palmer highlighted Russell's use of wide corner exits to maximize velocity and commended his precise vehicle control when navigating challenging turns.

Qualifying

Russell has consistently earned accolades for his qualifying speed. While at Williams, he managed to extract impressive grid positions from a less competitive car, including a remarkable second place at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix and third at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix. He outperformed teammates Robert Kubica and Nicholas Latifi in qualifying sessions 57 times out of 59 starts, earning the nickname "Mr. Saturday" due to his exceptional qualifying performances, although he maintains that race victories remain his primary goal.

Upon joining Mercedes, Russell became the only teammate in Lewis Hamilton’s career to hold a superior head-to-head qualifying record, leading 39–29 overall. Although Hamilton had a 13–9 lead in their first year together, Russell evened the score in 2023 and then dominated 19–5 in 2024, becoming one of only two drivers—alongside Nico Rosberg—to outqualify Hamilton across an entire season.

Racecraft

Karun Chandhok described Russell as "one of the cleanest racers" on the Formula One grid. His clean racing style has been praised by several drivers, including teammate Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. At the 2022 British Grand Prix, Russell displayed commendable sportsmanship by checking on Zhou Guanyu after a severe crash despite retiring from the race himself; this incident followed contact with Pierre Gasly. However, after Russell criticized Charles Leclerc’s defensive maneuvers during the 2023 British Grand Prix, Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur pointed out that Russell had employed similar tactics himself—highlighting the intense competitiveness within Formula One.

Russell’s racecraft has occasionally drawn criticism for not consistently translating strong qualifying results into top race finishes. Early in his career, he struggled with poor getaway launches, often losing positions shortly after the start despite favorable grid spots. It took over two seasons before he scored points at Williams, where race performance was largely limited by the car’s capabilities. During this time, Fernando Alonso praised Russell’s inherent speed and consistent weekend performances. Following his second-place finish at the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, analyst Peter Windsor commended Russell for outstanding tyre management, adaptability to mechanical challenges, and effective defensive driving against faster opponents.

Tyre management has been an inconsistent element of Russell’s skill set. While he received praise for it during his Williams tenure, he initially faced difficulties managing tyre degradation after moving to Mercedes, which impacted some race outcomes. However, his tyre conservation improved significantly throughout the 2024 season with strong displays at Spa, Austin, and Monaco.

In his first year with Mercedes, Russell prioritized consistency but adopted a riskier approach in subsequent seasons. This shift led to several notable errors—most prominently at the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix—where Motor Sport magazine suggested he missed a crucial chance for Mercedes’ first victory since 2022. Afterward, Russell acknowledged the importance of balancing risk and reward but expressed a preference for occasional wins over steady midfield finishes. He went on to secure two victories later in that season.

Records and notable statistics

Russell shares the record for the highest number of pit stops in a single Grand Prix, making seven stops during the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix. This achievement is held jointly with Lance Stroll, Liam Lawson, and Alain Prost, all of whom equaled Prost's original record at that race.

In Formula One history, Russell and Max Verstappen form one of only two driver duos to finish qualifying sessions tied for first place, which occurred at the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix. The other instance involved Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher, and Heinz-Harald Frentzen sharing pole position at the 1997 European Grand Prix. Additionally, Russell matched Verstappen’s qualifying time again, tying for third place at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix.

At the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, Russell became only the sixth driver in Formula One to have a race victory revoked due to disqualification.

Other activities

Since 2021, Russell has been appointed as a director on the board of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), where he advocates for drivers' interests concerning safety protocols, race standards, and the development of emerging talent.

The GB4 Championship honors the driver with the most pole positions in a season with the George Russell Pole Position Cup.

Russell has been prominently featured in the Formula 1: Drive to Survive documentary series. Season four (2022) focused on his efforts to secure a seat at Mercedes, while season seven (2025) highlighted his leadership role following Lewis Hamilton's departure. The series also dramatizes key moments such as his disqualification from the win at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix. Russell acknowledges this dramatization but supports it as a means to engage new audiences with Formula One.

Personal background

Russell has been in a relationship with Carmen Montero Mundt since 2020. She is a former business student at the University of Westminster. The couple reside together in Monaco, where Russell moved in 2022. Their introduction occurred through mutual acquaintances during a social gathering involving dinner and drinks in London.

Within the Formula One community, Russell maintains close friendships with drivers such as Alex Albon, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he collaborated with Albon to stream racing video games on Twitch. Albon played a significant role early in Russell’s career by facilitating his entry into a leading karting team and later advocated for his transition from Williams to Mercedes. Russell is also friends with Fernando Alonso, who has praised him as a "future world champ."

Beyond racing, Russell enjoys engaging in sports like padel and free-diving. He supports the Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, where his father holds season tickets; Russell was invited as a special guest at Molineux in 2021.

Russell actively promotes mental health awareness and works with a psychologist to optimize his on-track performance.

Summary of karting career

Season	Series	Team	Final Position
2006	Kartmasters British Grand Prix — WTP Cadet		6th
2007	Kartmasters British Grand Prix — WTP Cadet		4th
2008	Kartmasters British Grand Prix — WTP Cadet		1st
	Kartmasters British Grand Prix — Comer Cadet		4th
	BRDC Stars of Tomorrow — Cadet		16th
	Manchester & Buxton Kart Club — Cadet		8th
	Super 1 National Championships — Comer Cadet		20th
2009	British Open Championship — Comer Cadet		1st
	WSK North American Series — Cadet	Team Top Kart USA	DNF
	Formula Kart Stars — Cadet		1st
	Super 1 National Championships — Comer Cadet		2nd
	Kartmasters British Grand Prix — Comer Cadet		1st
2010	Formula Kart Stars — Mini Max (Rotax Max)	Strawberry Racing	1st
	Kartmasters British Grand Prix — Mini Max (Rotax Max)		1st
	Super 1 National Championships — Mini Max (Rotax Max)		1st
2011	South Garda Winter Cup — KF3	Intrepid Driver Program	10th
	Trent Valley Kart Club — Junior Max (Rotax Max)		43rd
	Super 1 National Championships — KF3		7th
	Kartmasters British Grand Prix — KF3		17th
	WSK Master Series — KF3	Intrepid Driver Program	43rd
	CIK-FIA European Championship — KF3			1st
	WSK Euro Series — KF3			7th
	CIK-FIA World Cup — KF3			16th
	WSK Final Cup — KF3			4th
	SKUSA SuperNationals — TaG Junior	Intrepid North America	1st
	Masters of Paris-Bercy — Junior		5th

Season	Series	Team	Position
2012
	2012	South Garda Winter Cup — KF3	Intrepid Driver Program	1st
		Andrea Margutti Trophy — KF3		7th
		Super 1 National Championships — KF3		2nd
		WSK Master Series — KF3	Forza Racing	3rd
		CIK-FIA European Championship — KF3	Intrepid Driver Program	1st
		WSK Euro Series — KF3		4th
		CIK-FIA World Cup — KF3	Forza Racing	29th
		CIK-FIA Academy Trophy	Stephen Russell	10th
SKUSA SuperNationals — TaG Junior		Forza Racing	2nd

Season	Series	Team	Position

2013	South Garda Winter Cup — KF2		- ! WSK Super Master Series — KF	Birel Motorsport	- ! WSK Euro Series — KF	- ! CIK-FIA European Championship — KF	- ! CIK-FIA World Championship — KF	Millennium Motorsport

Summary of Racing Career

Williams Racing #2020R 0 0 0 0 rowspan=2 style=text-align:center; 3 rowspan=2 style=text-align:center; 18th 1 0 0 1 0 Williams Racing #2021R 0 0 0 1 16 15th Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team #2022R 1 1 4 8 275 4th Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team #2023R 0 0 1 2 175 8th Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team #2024R 2 4 2 4 245 6th Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team Template:SumTemplate:SumTemplate:SumTemplate:SumTemplate:F1R2025* Template:F1R2025* Source:

Season	Series	Team	Races	Victories	Pole Positions	Fastest Laps	Podium Finishes	Points	Final Standing
2014	BRDC Formula 4 Championship	Lanan Racing	24	5	3	4	11	483	1st
	Formula Renault 2.0 Alps	Koiranen GP	12	0	0	0	1	123	4th
	Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0		2	0	0	0	0	—	NC†
		Tech 1 Racing	2	1	1	1	1
2015	FIA Formula 3 European Championship	Carlin	33	1	0	0	3	203	6th
	Masters of Formula 3		1	0	0	0	1		2nd
2016	FIA Formula 3 European Championship	HitechGP	30	2	3	3	10	264	style="background:#FFDF9F;" | 3rd
	2016 Macau Grand Prix		1	0	1	0	0		7th
2017	2017 GP3 Series	ART Grand Prix	#2017R	4	4	5	7	220	style="background:#FFFFBF;" | 1st
	2017 Formula One World Championship	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	Test driver
	2017 Formula One World Championship	Sahara Force India	Test driver
2018	2018 FIA Formula 2 Championship	ART Grand Prix	#2018R	7	5	6	11	287	style="background:#FFFFBF;" | 1st
	2018 Formula One World Championship	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	Reserve driver
	2018 Formula One World Championship	Sahara Force India	colspan=7 Test driver
align=left 2019 Formula One World Championship Williams Racing #2019R 0 0 0 0 0 20th

^† As Russell competed as a guest driver, he was not eligible to earn championship points.

Season ongoing.

Complete BRDC Formula 4 Championship results

(key) (Entries in bold represent pole positions) (Entries in italics denote fastest lap points awarded to top ten finishers)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	Final Position	Points Scored
2014	Lanan Racing	SIL1 1 5	SIL1 2 1	SIL1 3 1	BRH1 1 4	BRH1 2 3	BRH1 3 1	SNE1 1 3	SNE1 2 3	SNE1 3 6	OUL 1 1	OUL 2 6	OUL 3 Ret	SIL2 1 5	SIL2 2 6	SIL2 3 6	BRH2 1 10	BRH2 2 3	BRH2 3 5	DON 1 2	DON 2 6	DON 3 Ret	SNE2 1 7	SNE2 2 2	SNE2 3 1	1st place	483 points

Complete Formula Renault 2.0 Alps Series results

(key) (Pole positions are shown in bold; fastest laps appear in italics)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Final Standing	Total Points
2014	Koiranen GP	IMO 1 6	IMO 2 9	PAU 1 4	PAU 2 Ret	RBR 1 2	RBR 2 5	SPA 1 8	SPA 2 7	MNZ 1 WD	MNZ 2 WD	MUG 1 5	MUG 2 7	JER 1 13	JER 2 8	4th place	123 points

Full Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Results

(key) (Entries in bold denote pole positions; entries in italics represent fastest laps)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Final Position	Points
2014	Koiranen GP	ALC 1	ALC 2	SPA 1	SPA 2	MSC 1 15	MSC 2 22	NÜR 1	NÜR 2	HUN 1	HUN 2	LEC 1	LEC 2			NC†	—
	Tech 1 Racing													style="background:#cfcfff;" |JER 1 5 style="background:#cfcfff;" |JER 2 1

† Due to Russell's status as a guest competitor, he was not eligible to earn points

Complete FIA Formula 3 European Championship Results

(key) (Races displayed in bold signify pole positions; those in italics show fastest laps)

Year	Team	Engine Manufacturer	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	Final Standing	Points Accumulated
Template:FIAF3	Carlin	Volkswagen	SIL 1 8	SIL 2 1	SIL 3 5	HOC 1 11	HOC 2 9	HOC 3 18	PAU 1 8	PAU 2 6	PAU 3 8	MNZ 1 8	MNZ 2 6	MNZ 3 7	SPA 1 6	SPA < br/>2 < br/> 13	SPA < br/>3 < br/> 3	NOR < br/>1 < br/> 10	NOR < br/>2 < br/> 5	NOR < br/>3 < br/> 2	ZAN < br/>1 < br/> 6	ZAN < br/>2 < br/> 5	ZAN < br/>3 < br/> 6	RBR < br/>1 < br/> 5	RBR < br/>2 < br/> 7	RBR < br/>3 < br/> 9	ALG < br/>1 < br/> 10	ALG < br/>2 < br/> 5	ALG < br/>3 < br/> 4	6th	203
Template:FIAF3	Hitech GP	Mercedes-Benz in motorsport                                                       --- Please note that the remaining race results have been condensed to emphasize the primary performance indicators. Full Macau Grand Prix Results Year Team Vehicle Qualifying Position Qualifying Race Main Event 2016 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall HitechGP Dallara F312 1st 5th 7th Template:Center Complete GP3 Series Results (key) (Events in bold denote pole position) (Events in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Final Position Total Points 2017 ART Grand Prix CAT FEA 4 CAT SPR 5 RBR FEA 1 RBR SPR 6 SIL FEA 1 SIL SPR 4 HUN FEA DNS HUN SPR 11 SPA FEA 1 SPA SPR 2 MNZ FEA 1 MNZ SPR C JER FEA 2 JER SPR 4 YMC FEA 2 YMC SPR 4 1st 220 Complete FIA Formula 2 Championship Results (key) (Events in bold signify pole position) (Events in italics represent fastest lap points) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Championship Position Points Accumulated
BHR Feature Race	BHR Sprint Race	BAK Feature Race	BAK Sprint Race	CAT Feature Race	CAT Sprint Race	MON Feature Race	MON Sprint Race	LEC Feature Race	LEC Sprint Race	RBR Feature Race	RBR Sprint Race	SIL Feature Race	SIL Sprint Race	style="background:#EFCFFF;"> 2018 Budapest Formula 2 round (HUN) Feature Race Retired	8	3	7	4	1	4
Sources:

Complete Formula One Results

(key) (Races highlighted in bold denote pole positions; those in italics represent fastest laps)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	WDC	Points
Template:F1	Sahara Force India F1 Team	Force India VJM10	Mercedes F1 M08 EQ Power+ 1.6 V6 t	AUS	CHN	BHR	RUS	ESP	MON	CAN	AZE	AUT	GBR	HUN	BEL	ITA	SIN	MAL	JPN	USA	MEX	BRA TD	ABU TD					–	–
Template:F1	ROKiT Williams Racing	Williams FW42	Mercedes F1 M10 EQ Power+ 1.6 V6 t	AUS 16	BHR 15	CHN 16	AZE 15	ESP 17	MON 15	CAN 16	FRA 19	AUT 18	GBR 14	GER 11	HUN 16 ... [table continues with same format for subsequent years]

Half points were granted when less than three-quarters of the race distance was completed.

Classified as finished despite not completing the race, having covered over ninety percent of the distance.

Current season ongoing.

External links

• Profile at the British Racing Drivers' Club