History of George Russell (racing driver) in Timeline
George Russell is a British Formula One racing driver currently competing for Mercedes. Known for his exceptional talent, Russell has secured four Grand Prix victories over seven seasons in Formula 1. He is considered one of the sport's rising stars.
1994: First Formula One race win lost to a post-race disqualification since 1994
At midseason, Mercedes scored podium finishes in six consecutive races. George Russell had the first Formula One race win (at Spa) lost to a post-race disqualification since 1994.
1997: Previous Tie for P1 in Qualifying
In 1997, Jacques Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher, and Heinz-Harald Frentzen had also tied in qualifying at the European Grand Prix. This was referenced when Russell and Verstappen tied in 2024.
February 1998: George Russell's Birth
In February 1998, George William Russell was born. He is a British racing driver who competes in Formula One for Mercedes.
2006: Begins Karting
In 2006, George Russell began his karting career, marking the start of his journey in motorsports.
2007: Brother Wins Kart Championship
In 2007, George Russell's brother, Benjy, won the Super 1 National Kart Championship in the Rotax Max category, influencing George's early interest in karting.
2009: Cadet Class Champion
By 2009, George Russell had progressed to the cadet class, becoming the MSA British champion and British Open champion.
2010: Rotax Mini Max Champion
In 2010, George Russell moved to the Rotax Mini Max category, where he became Super One British champion, Formula Kart Stars British champion, and also won the Kartmasters British Grand Prix.
2011: Joins Intrepid Karting Team
In 2011, George Russell graduated to the KF3 class and joined the Intrepid karting team, where his teammates included Alex Albon and Charles Leclerc. He became CIK-FIA European Champion and won the SKUSA SuperNationals title.
2011: Karting European Championship Victory
In 2011, George Russell secured a victory at the junior direct-drive Karting European Championship, marking a significant achievement in his early racing career.
2012: Lowest for a Mercedes driver since 2012
George Russell finished eighth in the Drivers' Championship, the lowest for a Mercedes driver since 2012.
2012: Second Karting European Championship Victory
In 2012, George Russell achieved back-to-back victories at the junior direct-drive Karting European Championship, further solidifying his reputation in kart racing.
2012: Defends European Title
In 2012, George Russell defended his European title in karting and nearly defended his SKUSA title.
2012: Father Sells Business
In 2012, George Russell's father sold his business to fund his son's junior racing career, demonstrating a significant commitment to Russell's aspirations.
2013: Moves to KF1 Karting
In 2013, George Russell moved up to KF1 in his final year of karting, finishing 19th in the CIK-FIA World Championship.
2014: Single-Seater Debut and BRDC F4 Title
In 2014, George Russell made his single-seater debut, competing in BRDC Formula 4 and Formula Renault 2.0 Alps. He won the BRDC F4 title after winning the final race, earning him a GP3 test at Yas Marina.
2014: BRDC F4 Championship Win
In 2014, George Russell won his first title at the BRDC F4 Championship, marking a significant milestone in his transition to junior formulae.
2014: Wins the Autosport BRDC Award
In 2014, George Russell won the Autosport BRDC Award, earning him the opportunity to test a Formula One car.
2014: Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup
In 2014, George Russell won the Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup during his title-winning campaign in BRDC Formula 4.
October 2015: First Formula One Car Test
In October 2015, George Russell drove a Formula One car for the first time, testing the McLaren MP4-26 at Silverstone as a prize for winning the 2014 Autosport BRDC Award.
2015: Williams Successful years
From 2015 to 2017, Williams had consistently finished no worse than fifth in the constructors' standings before George Russell joined the team.
2015: Drives for Carlin in Formula Three
In 2015, George Russell drove for Carlin, a Volkswagen affiliate, in European Formula Three. He finished sixth overall, winning one race and achieving three podiums.
2015: Reaches out to Toto Wolff
In 2015, George Russell reached out to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff for a spot on the Mercedes Junior Team, impressing him with a PowerPoint presentation. Wolff offered to fund his European Formula Three season.
2015: Expected to compete full-time in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0
In 2015, George Russell was initially expected to compete full-time in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0. However, his BRDC Award win led him to skip directly to European Formula Three.
2016: One of only two teammates to outqualify
At Mercedes, Russell became one of only two teammates (the other being 2016 champion Nico Rosberg) to outqualify Hamilton in a single season.
2016: Switches to Hitech GP
In 2016, George Russell switched to Hitech GP, a Mercedes affiliate, for his European Formula Three season. He finished third in the championship, behind Lance Stroll and Maximilian Günther.
2016: Switches to Mercedes-Powered F3 Team
In 2016, George Russell switched to a Mercedes-powered F3 team, and Toto Wolff agreed to try him out as a simulator driver.
April 2017: Tests Mercedes W06
In April 2017, George Russell tested the 2015 Mercedes W06 at Portimão as part of his development with the Mercedes Junior Team.
2017: Applied for Williams Drive
After winning the 2017 GP3 title, George Russell applied for a Williams drive but was unsuccessful.
2017: Williams' Highest Grid Position Since 2017
At the Austrian Grand Prix, Russell qualified in 8th place, Williams' highest grid position since 2017. He was overtaken by Alonso near the end of the race.
2017: Williams Successful years
From 2015 to 2017, Williams had consistently finished no worse than fifth in the constructors' standings before George Russell joined the team.
2017: First front-row start for Williams since the 2017 Italian Grand Prix
George Russell collected his maiden podium at the Belgian Grand Prix under unusual circumstances. He qualified in second after a rain-affected Saturday, the first front-row start for Williams since the 2017 Italian Grand Prix.
2017: Joins Mercedes Junior Team
In 2017, George Russell became a member of the Mercedes Junior Team, setting the stage for his future in Formula One.
2017: Secures Drive with ART Grand Prix
In 2017, with financial help from Mercedes, George Russell secured a drive with ART Grand Prix for the GP3 season.
October 2018: Formula One Debut with Williams
In October 2018, Mercedes arranged for George Russell to make his Formula One debut with Williams-Mercedes. He also drove the FW41 at the 2018 post-season test at Yas Marina Circuit.
2018: Promoted to ART's Formula Two Team
In 2018, ART promoted George Russell to its Formula Two team. He was also promoted to first-team reserve driver for Mercedes, sharing duties with Pascal Wehrlein.
2018: Further Testing Opportunities
In 2018, George Russell continued to have testing opportunities with Mercedes and Force India-Mercedes, enhancing his experience with Formula One cars.
2018: Promoted to First-Team Reserve Driver
In 2018, George Russell was promoted to first-team reserve driver for Mercedes, further solidifying his position within the team.
2018: FIA Formula 2 Championship Win
In 2018, George Russell won the FIA Formula 2 Championship with ART, becoming the fifth driver to win the GP2/Formula 2 championship in their rookie season and the second driver to win both titles in their respective rookie seasons.
2019: Formula One Debut with Williams
In 2019, George Russell made his Formula One debut at the Australian Grand Prix, driving for Williams alongside Robert Kubica.
2019: Partnership with Robert Kubica
In 2019, George Russell was partnered with Robert Kubica at Williams for the Formula One season.
2019: Formula One Race Debut and Difficulties
In 2019, at George Russell's Formula One race debut at the Australian Grand Prix, he qualified 19th and finished 16th, acknowledging the car was significantly off the pace.
2020: Potential Replacement by Kevin Magnussen
After the 2020 season, Williams considered replacing George Russell with Kevin Magnussen if Magnussen could secure sufficient sponsorship money.
2020: Sakhir Grand Prix Substitution for Mercedes
In 2020, George Russell substituted for Lewis Hamilton at the Sakhir Grand Prix for Mercedes, where he was denied victory due to a team error and a puncture.
2020: Partnership with Nicholas Latifi
In 2020, George Russell was partnered with Nicholas Latifi at Williams for the Formula One season.
2020: Williams Fails to Score Points
In 2020, Williams did not score any points all year, despite George Russell coming close on several occasions.
2020: Mercedes considers Russell for new team
In 2020, after George Russell's impressive performance, Mercedes explored options for him to join a new team for the following season, but Williams declined to release him from his contract.
2020: Team Principals Rank Russell Highly
In 2020, despite scoring only three points and finishing 18th in the standings, Formula One team principals ranked George Russell as the sixth-best driver of the year.
2020: Relationship with Carmen Montero Mundt
Since 2020, George Russell has been in a relationship with Carmen Montero Mundt, a former business student at the University of Westminster.
March 2021: Appointment as GPDA Director
In March 2021, George Russell was appointed as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), succeeding Romain Grosjean. His role involves representing drivers' concerns about safety and racing quality.
2021: Collision with Bottas and aftermath
During the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, on lap 30, George Russell collided with Valtteri Bottas while attempting to overtake, leading to a double retirement. Russell initially blamed Bottas before retracting his claims and apologizing. The incident drew criticism from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
2021: Maiden Podium at Belgian Grand Prix
In 2021, George Russell achieved his maiden podium at the curtailed Belgian Grand Prix with Williams, marking a significant milestone.
2021: Leads Williams Back to Respectability
In 2021, George Russell led Williams back to respectability, scoring 16 points and achieving a rare podium for the team.
2021: Partnership with Nicholas Latifi
In 2021, George Russell was partnered with Nicholas Latifi at Williams for the Formula One season.
2021: Special Guest at Molineux
In 2021, George Russell, a fan of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, was a special guest at Molineux.
2021: Improved Performance with Williams
In 2021, which was George Russell's final year with Williams, the team showed improved performance and reliability.
2021: High grid placements at Williams
Throughout his career, George Russell has consistently been praised for his qualifying pace. At Williams, the Briton drove an unimpressive car to unexpectedly high grid placements on several occasions, most notably Spa 2021 (second) and Sochi 2021 (third).
March 2022: GB4 Championship Pole Position Trophy
In March 2022, George Russell lent his name to the GB4 Championship's pole position trophy, named The George Russell Pole Position Cup, awarded to the driver with the most pole positions in the season.
2022: Difficult years for Mercedes
2022 was a difficult year for Mercedes, whose new aerodynamics concept performed very well in simulations but was difficult to drive in real life.
2022: Promotion to Mercedes
Following the Hungarian Grand Prix, Mercedes agreed to promote Russell to the senior team for the 2022 season.
2022: Move to Monaco
George Russell moved to Monaco in 2022, where he lives with Carmen Montero Mundt.
2022: Drive to Survive Coverage
In 2022 (Season 4), Formula 1: Drive to Survive covered George Russell's efforts to secure the second Mercedes seat, including a scene where Toto Wolff informs him of his promotion, which Motor Sport believed was staged.
2022: Joins Mercedes and paired with Lewis Hamilton
In 2022, George Russell joined Mercedes and was paired with seven-time World Drivers' Champion Lewis Hamilton.
2022: Joins Mercedes and Achieves Maiden Win
In 2022, George Russell replaced Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes, partnering with Hamilton. He secured his maiden pole position in Hungary and his first win in São Paulo, finishing fourth in the World Drivers' Championship.
2022: Mercedes Win Drought
In 2022, Mercedes was struggling to win. Motor Sport noted that the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix was their first real chance at a win since 2022.
2022: Testing experimental parts and career firsts
In 2022, Russell and Hamilton spent the first nine races testing experimental parts for the Mercedes car. Russell checked off several career firsts in 2022, including his first podium in a full-length race at Melbourne; his first pole position at Hungary; and his first Grand Prix and sprint race victories at Interlagos.
2022: Checking on Zhou Guanyu
In 2022, at the British Grand Prix, George Russell jumped out of his car to check on Zhou Guanyu following a major first-lap crash, even though it triggered his own retirement from the race.
2022: Media speculation about Mercedes seat
In 2022, media speculation suggested George Russell might replace Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes once their contracts expired.
2023: Difficult years for Mercedes
2023 was a difficult year for Mercedes, whose new aerodynamics concept performed very well in simulations but was difficult to drive in real life.
2023: Questioning Leclerc's defensive tactics
After George Russell questioned Charles Leclerc's defensive tactics during the 2023 British Grand Prix, Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur noted that Russell had used similar tactics to defend his position in prior races.
2023: Reaching parity in 2023
At Mercedes, Russell became the only teammate in Lewis Hamilton's career (Hamilton being Formula One's all-time leader in pole positions) to outqualify him head-to-head during their time as teammates (39–29). Although Hamilton outqualified Russell 13–9 in their first season together, Russell reached parity in 2023.
2023: Most Disappointing Moment of Career
In 2023, George Russell remarked that the 2019 German Grand Prix was the most disappointing moment of his career.
2023: Mercedes places second in 2023
In 2023, George Russell's team, Mercedes, placed second.
2023: Record for Most Pit Stops
In 2023, at the Dutch Grand Prix, George Russell tied the record for the most pit stops in a single race, with a total of seven. He shared this record with Lance Stroll, Liam Lawson, and Alain Prost, all of whom tied the pre-existing record during the same race.
2024: Russell praises Hamilton after 2024 season
After the 2024 season ended, George Russell said that he "learned so much from [] Lewis as a driver and a person," and wrote on his personal website that Hamilton "is not only the greatest driver of all time," but also "the type of person that every racing driver should aspire to be."
2024: Beating Hamilton 19-5 in 2024
At Mercedes, Russell became the only teammate in Lewis Hamilton's career (Hamilton being Formula One's all-time leader in pole positions) to outqualify him head-to-head during their time as teammates (39–29) and beat Hamilton 19–5 in 2024.
2024: Disqualification from Race Win
At the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, George Russell became the sixth driver in Formula One history to lose a race win due to disqualification.
2024: Tied for P1 in Qualifying
At the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix, George Russell and Max Verstappen achieved the rare feat of tying for P1 in qualifying.
2024: Russell's driving style fits current car generation
During the 2024 season, the racing press suggested that Russell's driving style might be a better fit for the present generation of ground effect cars than Hamilton's, with Mark Hughes adding that Mercedes' successful midseason upgrades accentuated this F1-wide trend.
2024: Mercedes changes design concept
For the 2024 season, Mercedes fundamentally changed its design concept. At the Australian Grand Prix, George Russell crashed heavily while trying to overtake Fernando Alonso and called for automated safety cars to prevent similar incidents.
2024: Renewed praise for tyre management
George Russell's tyre management received renewed praise during the 2024 season, following strong performances at Spa, Austin, and Monaco.
2024: Hamilton leaves Mercedes for Ferrari after the 2024 season
Hamilton left Mercedes for Ferrari after the 2024 season. The team placed fourth in 2024 (although it scored four wins that year).
2024: High-Profile Mistakes and Risk Assessment
In 2024, George Russell acknowledged the need to reduce his risk-taking after making notable errors, including at the Canadian Grand Prix. Despite preferring potential victories over consistent finishes, he recognized the importance of balancing risk and reward.
2024: Comments on Formula 1: Drive to Survive
In 2024, George Russell discussed the Formula 1: Drive to Survive show, acknowledging its dramatization but accepting it as a way to attract new fans. He was also a featured narrator in the episode about the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.
2024: Wins Austrian and Las Vegas Grands Prix
In 2024, George Russell won the Austrian and Las Vegas Grands Prix. He also became the first driver in 30 years to be disqualified from a race win at the Belgian Grand Prix.
2025: Contracted with Mercedes
As of the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix, George Russell has achieved notable accomplishments in Formula One. He is contracted to remain at Mercedes until at least the end of the 2025 season.
2025: Russell's performance at the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix
Following Russell's second-place finish at the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, Peter Windsor called Russell's drive "one of the best I've seen in a long, long time", praising his tyre management, adjustments to mechanical issues, and defensive positioning against third-placed Lando Norris.
2025: Drive to Survive Coverage of Leadership Role
In 2025 (Season 7), Formula 1: Drive to Survive detailed George Russell's pursuit of a leadership role at Mercedes following Lewis Hamilton's departure. The show incorrectly suggested that Russell secured his position by winning the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, despite his disqualification.
2025: Tied for P3 in Qualifying
In 2025, George Russell tied with Max Verstappen for P3 in qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix.
2025: Partnership with Andrea Kimi Antonelli
In 2025, following Hamilton's departure for Ferrari, Mercedes partnered George Russell with Junior Team member Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Defending World Constructors' Champions McLaren are heavily favored to claim both titles.
Mentioned in this timeline
Microsoft an American multinational technology corporation headquartered in Redmond Washington...
India officially the Republic of India is located in South...
Las Vegas Nevada's most populous city and the seat of...
Lewis Hamilton is a British Formula One racing driver currently...
Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab...
Monaco a sovereign city-state on the French Riviera is the...
Trending
19 days ago Travis Etienne's Week 9 Fantasy Outlook: Start or Sit Him Against the Raiders?
Kenneth Walker III is a professional American football running back currently playing for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL He...
26 days ago Cuomo rebuked after Mamdani-Vance 9/11 remark sparks controversy; Mamdani responds to Islamophobia claims.
58 minutes ago Boston College faces Davidson in Charleston Classic: Predictions and live updates.
The Davis Cup organized by the International Tennis Federation ITF is the premier international team event in men's tennis and...
6 months ago Edward Jones Expands Roster, Maintains Growth Target; Advisors Qualify for Recognition
Popular
XXXTentacion born Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy was a controversial yet...
William Franklin Graham III commonly known as Franklin Graham is...
Cristiano Ronaldo often nicknamed CR is a Portuguese professional footballer...
Candace Owens is an American conservative political commentator and author...
Michelle Obama is an American attorney author and former First...
Marjorie Taylor Greene known as MTG is a far-right American...