George Russell

**George William Russell** (born 15 February 1998) is a British racing driver currently competing in Formula One, contracted to Williams. He was the 2018 FIA Formula 2 Champion for ART and the 2017 GP3 Series Champion. Following his Formula 2 championship win, Russell signed for Williams in 2019, making his début at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix, alongside Robert Kubica. Russell is contracted to drive for Williams until the conclusion of the 2021 season.

## Personal Life

Russell was born in King's Lynn, Norfolk, to father Steve and mother Alison, the youngest alongside two siblings: a sister, Cara, and an older brother, Benjy. Russell took up karting at the age of 7, having spent much of his time around karting tracks and his brother Benjy, who was also involved in competitive karting. Growing up in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, Russell was educated at the Wisbech Grammar School, before moving to Milton Keynes at the age of 18 to be closer to his racing teams.

Like his father, he is a fan of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club.

## F1.5 Career

### **Force India (2017)**

#### **2017 Season**

In November 2017 it was announced that Russell would make his Formula One practice debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix driving in the first practice session for Force India. Subsequently, it was announced that he would also drive for them in first practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Russell was announced as one of the Pirelli Tyre Test Drivers for Force India at the post-Spanish Grand Prix test in May 2018. He completed 123 laps for the team at the test, his first in a Formula One car with 2018 specifications.

### **Williams (2019-)**

#### **2019 Season**

George Russell drove for Williams in his rookie season. Unfortunately, his team had by far the worst car and so Russell was mostly reduced to taking 10th place benefiting from others' retirements. However, he still had a total of 13 points finishes, compared to his teammate's 4. His best results came at the German Grand Prix and Italian Grand Prix, where he finished 8th. He scored 21 points in total and finished 14th in the championship, only ahead of his teammate Robert Kubica.

#### **2020 Season**

Russell continued driving for Williams in 2020, partnered by former competitor and 2019 Formula 2 runner-up Nicholas Latifi. He retired from the opening race in Austria from a loss of fuel pressure. For the Styrian Grand Prix Russell started the race in the top 10 after a wet qualifying. An early trip to the gravel effectively ended Russell's chances at points, and he finished 12th with both Williams drivers struggling for race pace. Russell scored his first points of the season at his home grand prix at Silverstone.

Russell crashed out of the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix after a stray wheel from Antonio Giovinazzi's car hit his Williams. At the Tuscan Grand Prix, Russell started 14th but ran in the points positions for most of the race aided by a higher than normal attrition rate. After the 2nd red flag, Russell suffered a poor re-start and fell to the back of the runners. He crashed out while running in the points at the 2020 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, when he made a mistake and crashed on his own while following the safety car.

Russell missed the F1.5 race for the Sakhir Grand Prix after F1 Driver contracted COVID-19. Russell had a promotion for the race to Mercedes in the F1 Race. Russell returned to Williams in time for practice at the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Following Friday practice, Russell said returning to Williams for this event was a "strange feeling", having competed in the faster Mercedes the week before. For the event Russell wore a special helmet as a tribute to Frank Williams and Claire Williams, both of which left F1 after the 2020 Italian Grand Prix. Russell qualified 14th ahead of Pietro Fittipaldi and teammate Nicholas Latifi after struggling with tyre management during the session, and ultimately finished the race in 11th.

#### **2021 Season**

Russell started the season with a 10th place in Bahrain to bring home one point. In Imola, at the next round, he was fighting for big points but ended up crashing with F1.0 driver Valtteri Bottas. He went on to finish in the points again at Spain. At the Styrian Grand Prix, Russell started fourth, his best starting position of his F1.5 career. Whilst running in the points he was told to pit for retirment. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Russell fmatched his personal best finish of 7th, which also acheived in the Austrian GP, during a hectic race. The Hungarian Grand Prix, also saw teammate Latifi score in 6th place, meaning that it was Williams' best points haul since the Italian Grand Prix in 2018.

At the Belgian Grand Prix, Russell unexpectedly qualified on pole position in the wet conditions. The race was abandoned after just 3 laps behind the safety car, but half points were awarded, handing Russell his first win and podium. After a last lap retirement in the Dutch Grand Prix, he returned to scoring points with a 7th place finish in Italy and a 6th place finish in Russia.

Russell's season ended with two retirements; he was eliminated from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after a collision with Nikita Mazepin and suffered gearbox issues at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He placed 12th in the drivers championship with 48.5 points.