George Russell (racing driver)
A fiercely determined British driver who climbed from junior formulas to a Mercedes race seat, claiming his first Grand Prix win in dramatic fashion.
Born 1998 (age 28)·British racing driver·Birthday: February 15·Generation Z
Biography
George Russell's ascent in Formula One has been marked by a blend of sheer speed and strategic patience. A product of the British karting scene, he dominated the junior formulas, winning championships in GP3 and Formula 2 in consecutive years. His F1 debut came with the struggling Williams team in 2019, where for three seasons his standout qualifying performances—often dragging the car into positions it didn't belong—earned him the nickname 'Mr. Saturday.' A one-off drive for Mercedes in 2020, substituting for an ill Lewis Hamilton, resulted in a near-victory, proving he could compete at the very front. Promoted to a full-time Mercedes seat in 2022, he secured his maiden Grand Prix victory in Brazil that same year, announcing his arrival as a top-tier contender in the sport's new era.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
George was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When George Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
George's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored his first Formula One victory at the 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix, winning the Sprint and the Grand Prix.
- Won the 2018 FIA Formula 2 Championship in his rookie season, following a GP3 Series title in 2017.
- Substituted for Lewis Hamilton at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix and nearly won, finishing second after a pit stop error.
Did You Know?
He is a founding investor and shareholder of the BWT Alpine F1 Team.
He served as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA).
He tested for the Mercedes F1 team while still a teenager, as part of their junior driver program.
His brother, Benjy Russell, is a professional racing driver in sim racing and esports.
“I'm here to win. I'm not here to finish second or third.”
