It’s official! Former Motorsport UK Academy member George Russell will race for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team from the 2022 F1 season alongside seven-time World Championship winner Lewis Hamilton.

George joined the Mercedes Junior Programme in 2016 and graduated to the role of Reserve Driver two years later. Chief among the highlights of his past three seasons as Race Driver for Williams Racing, his stellar performance substituting for Hamilton throughout the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix, during which he qualified P2 and finished 9^th after a tumultuous race. He claimed his first F1 podium and equalled his best qualifying position at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix.

George’s talents have been evident since he first started in motorsport at eight years old. In his early career in karting he won the British Cadet Championship in 2009, later becoming the 2011 CIK-FIA European Champion. This early career highlight led to the UK governing body nominating Russell for the 2012 CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy.

From there, Russell continued to progress through the disciplines, going onto claim championship victory in the 2018 FIA Formula 2 season. George joined the Williams Racing team, who over the years have produced great racing talents that have advanced up the grid, including British drivers Nigel Mansell (1992 F1 World Champion) and Damon Hill (1996 F1 World Champion).

Russell’s move will see an all-British line-up at the nine-time F1 Constructors’ Championship winning Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team.

Motorsport UK is proud to see another talented British driver progress through to the pinnacle of single seater racing.

Congratulations George!