George William Russell, born 15 February 1998 in King's Lynn, Norfolk, is a British racing driver who competes in Formula 1 for Mercedes-AMG Petronas under number 63 ¹. A Mercedes junior since early 2017, he won the 2017 GP3 Series and the 2018 Formula 2 title as a rookie, debuted with Williams in 2019, and earned a full Mercedes seat in 2022, where his maiden win came in Sao Paulo ¹.

Now Mercedes' team leader, Russell enters the 2026 regulation reset as a proven winner with a career-best season behind him and a fresh contract in hand, having opened the new era by winning in Australia ²³.

“Russell began competitive karting at age seven, racing under #63 from a kart his brother had rented .”

Karting and the junior ladder

Russell began competitive karting at age seven, racing under #63 from a kart his brother had rented ¹. He won the CIK-FIA European Championship in the KF3 junior class in 2011 and again in 2012, becoming the first driver to defend that title, and counted Charles Leclerc and Alex Albon among his karting contemporaries ¹. His single-seater breakthrough came in 2014: aged 16, he won the BRDC Formula 4 Championship with Lanan Racing in a final-round decider at Snetterton, then claimed the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, the biggest prize in British junior racing, becoming its youngest-ever winner ¹⁴.

Mercedes junior and the GP3/F2 doubles

Russell signed for the Mercedes junior programme at the start of 2017 ¹⁵. That same year he won the GP3 Series title as a rookie with ART Grand Prix, taking four wins and finishing 79 points clear ¹. In 2018, again with ART and again as a rookie, he won the FIA Formula 2 title, beating Lando Norris by 68 points and becoming only the second driver to win both GP3 and F2 in his debut seasons ¹.

Williams loan and the lean years

In October 2018 Mercedes arranged Russell's F1 debut with their engine customer Williams, loaning their contracted junior to the team while retaining control over his future ⁵. He debuted at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix and spent three seasons in uncompetitive machinery, scoring just 16 points but out-qualifying teammates Robert Kubica and Nicholas Latifi 57 times in 59 attempts, earning the "Mr Saturday" tag ¹. Standing in for a COVID-stricken Hamilton at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, Russell led much of the race in a Mercedes before a botched pit stop and a late puncture dropped him to ninth ¹. His maiden podium came at a rain-shortened 2021 Belgian Grand Prix ¹.

Mercedes and the maiden win

Russell joined Mercedes for 2022 alongside Hamilton, taking his first pole in Hungary ¹. At the Sao Paulo Grand Prix he won Saturday's Sprint, passing Max Verstappen for the lead, then converted pole into his maiden Grand Prix victory the next day, leading a Mercedes one-two ahead of Hamilton through a chaotic, multiple-safety-car race ⁶. He finished the season fourth with 308 points, outscoring Hamilton ¹. After a winless 2023 in which he placed eighth, Mercedes still handed him a two-year extension ¹.

A double-winning 2024

In 2024 Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix and the Las Vegas Grand Prix, his second and third career victories ¹. The year also brought a notable low: he crossed the line first at the Belgian Grand Prix but was disqualified when his car was found underweight, the first driver in three decades to lose a win that way ¹. He finished sixth with 313 points in his final season as Hamilton's teammate ¹.

Team leader in 2025

With Hamilton gone to Ferrari, 2025 was Russell's first year as the senior figure at Mercedes, partnered by rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli ¹. He scored his maiden hat-trick of pole, win and fastest lap at the Canadian Grand Prix, added a second win from pole in Singapore, and recorded nine podiums ¹². His 319 points were a career best and secured fourth in the standings, with Mercedes second in the Constructors' Championship; he comfortably out-scored Antonelli over the campaign ¹².

Contract, Verstappen and 2026

Russell's renewal was held up while Wolff openly courted Verstappen, and only after the Dutchman committed to Red Bull was the Mercedes line-up confirmed ³⁷. On 15 October 2025 Mercedes announced extensions for Russell and Antonelli, with reports putting Russell's salary around £30 million a year; Russell has said the deal carries performance clauses tied to 2027 ³⁷. "I am really proud to be continuing our journey together," he said, noting 2026 marks his tenth year with Mercedes ³. He opened the new technical era in style, winning the 2026 Australian Grand Prix from pole to lead the championship for the first time, heading an Antonelli one-two, though his young teammate has since pressed him hard ².

Driving style and personality

Russell is regarded as one of F1's cleanest and most cerebral racers, favouring smooth inputs, precise car control and strong tyre management, and is the only teammate to out-qualify Hamilton over a full partnership (39-29 across 2022-2024) ¹. Articulate and politically minded, he has served as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association since March 2021, when he replaced Romain Grosjean, acting as the drivers' "eyes and ears" on safety, racing quality and the sport's direction ⁸. He has admitted the role grew unexpectedly political ⁸.

Bottom line

From a rented #63 kart to Mercedes team leader, Russell has built a reputation as a relentless qualifier and clean racer who has delivered every time the car allowed. With six career wins, a career-best 2025 and a fresh contract for the 2026 regulation reset, the question that has shadowed him remains: whether a Mercedes capable of a title arrives while he is the one to seize it ¹²³.