New F1 Driver: The rise of George Russell

Another young British driver is about to launch his F1 career. George Russell will burst onto the scenes next season as a Williams driver. That makes two. Two new Brits on the F1 grid for the 2019 season. Russell will join F2 rival Lando Norris in the paddock. Exciting times for British Motorsport fans.

Starting out young

Russell, now 20, started karting in 2006 near his birthplace in King's Lynn. In just his fourth racing year, he became MSA British Champion, British Open champion and Super One champion. The later has produced talents including David Coulthard, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

In 2011, Russell was promoted to the KF3 class. He won the European title back-to-back in 2011 and 2012. A trophy which was won by four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel in 2001.

See the Williams announcement here!

Making ground

In 2014 Russell made his single-seater debut. Clearly edging closer to an F1 dream at the age of just 15. Driving for Koiranen in the Formula Renault 2.0 series, he achieved his first podium at the Red Bull ring. By the end of the season, he found himself in fourth place in the standings which could have been higher had it not been for illness.

The boy from Norfolk won his first race in the EuroCup Formula Renault 2.0 in Spain. He started on pole and went on to win the race in the Tech 1 racing team.

Running alongside this, he competed in the Formula 4 championship. At Snetterton, the final race of the season, he clinched the title by just three points by winning the final race. Following this, he got the chance to test a GP3 car in Abu Dhabi and won the McLaren Autosport BRDC award earning an impressive £100,000 for the feat.

Into the big world

From that, Russell entered the F3 championship where he won his opening race at Silverstone. Both Charles Leclerc and Antonio Giovinazzi were on track. He finished 6th in his rookie season. This lifted to 3rd in his second season.

It was always onwards and upwards from that point. Russell moved to the GP3 series claiming the title in just one year. Now he looks to be in pole position to take the F2 title with just one round left. He will then move to Williams in the winter where he will begin his F1 career.