George Russell broke into Formula 1 in 2019 fast and loud. With impressive performances and a growing fan base, a young driver is making a name on the track and is a rising star in Formula 1 racing. What is his secret, and why do racing communities call George Russell a Formula 1 phenomenon?
He is calm, and he is modest. Labeling Russell a Formula 1 star with an encouraging $8 million yearly salary and a promising Mercedes contract is complicated. However, he is. Moreover, such standing is what no one expected a few years ago when George Russell raced in lower Formulae.
It is a long distance between his jumping-off point and running position in the Mercedes F1 team; only some professional racing drivers can overcome it. However, Russell needed three seasons to shake the system off and used all of his racing magic to make the expression on. It is to be a fascinating phenomenon in Formula 1, but it also is to break stereotypes in racing.
George Russell broke three central stereotypes in Formula 1
#1. You have to be rich to racing in Formula 1
Ask anyone; Formula 1 is about money, a lot. An influential father or family’s business often stands behind most F1 drivers’ careers. Lance Stroll’s father is Aston Martin’s team owner, and Max Verstappen’s father is a former F1 driver. Carlos Sainz Jr. comes from a racing family. His father is a two-time world rally champion and twenty-six rally winner.
However, George Russell is not from a wealthy family. Steve Russell is running a small peas and beans business. It has nothing in common with motor racing. Although, family support helped this talented guy reveal all his potential to Formula 1.
#2. George Russell is battle-hardened.
How did George Russell get into F1? Russell raced stubbornly not only in karting, but he participated successfully in F4, F3, and F2 series before joining the Mercedes team’s junior program in 2016.
Just imagine George Russell finished sixth in the Kartmasters British Grand Prix in 2006, and he won the F4 championship in his debut season in 2014. He spent seven years karting.
After becoming Mercedes’ reserve driver for the 2018 season, Russell started his F1 career with the Williams team for the 2019–2021 seasons.
This young 1.85m tall guy, high by F1 standards, had kept his dream alive despite the obstacles. Williams had faced all types of difficulties at that time. It was the weakest team, but this was the only possibility to start.
#3. You need a fast car to make a podium in Formula 1
The FW42 car by Williams was the slowest car on the grid when George Russell joined Formula 1. The other F1 drivers raced for points, but Russell had the only competitor at the track – his teammate Robert Kubica. The leaders had lapped them twice, and the competitors were a seconds gap ahead.
The fortune smiled at Russell on the rainy Monaco Grand Prix 2019. The Briton finished 13th and moved to 11th after Alfa Romeo drivers received penalties. However, Kubica completed 10th place.
The pacing issue repeated with Williams cars and was the primary headache for drivers in the 2020 season. But it didn’t prevent Russell from scoring the first point in his career at the Tuscan Grand Prix. He started 18th and finished the race 10th.
George Russell is at the wheel of a Mercedes F1 car.
As one of the most thrilling races, the Sakhir Grand Prix in 2020 was action-packed with plenty of twists and turns. Champion Lewis Hamilton had Covid-19 tested positive, and team principal Toto Wolff decided fast.
George Russell took Hamilton’s car. The Briton hadn’t 26 milliseconds to win the pole, so he started the race second after Valtteri Bottas.
Bahrain 2020 was one of Mercedes’ worst races. With too many errors and pit stops, George finally finished the Sakhir Grand Prix, but he was only ninth. His future was at stake. After the race, Russell left the car and lay on the ground because everyone knew this debut could be better.
How did George Russell force Formula 1 to talk about him?
Mercedes F1 team didn’t sign the contract with Russell for the 2021 season, but no one can stop rumors. The real success came to George Russell in 2021 when he outperformed faster drivers with his slow Williams F1 car.
Reaching Q3 at the Austrian Grand Prix, he brought the team’s highest grid position since 2017. He started the race eighth.
During the British Grand Prix, Russell made a breakthrough in Q3 again. One of the most controversial races, the Hungarian Grand Prix, made people call Russell a Formula 1 phenomenon. Imagine that his weak Williams started from 17th and finished eighth!
Remarkable, but George Russell moved significantly closer to the top eight drivers during most of the races. That showed George Russell’s skill at racing and making the most of his car.
Self-control is the keystone in Formula 1.
However, the above is not all about the Formula 1 phenomenon. In conclusion to this topic, it is impossible to overlook another of George Russell’s unique characteristics. It’s self-control. The more speed, the more drama, but keeping the mind cold is fundamental. It is not something that every F1 driver can boast about.
George Russell kept the excellent impression when he replaced Lewis Hamilton for Sakhir GP in 2020 and took the Bottas seat in the 2022 season. The Briton always talks about teammates with respect, yet. Even the team’s order to pit him and to lose his place in Australian GP 2023 didn’t get Russell out of himself, only for a while. A few moments later, he agreed and apologized to Mercedes.
Will George Russell beat Hamilton? It depends on both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Hamilton is on the way to recovering after the 2021 season and rising again. Russell is a natural Formula 1 phenomenon and one of the most influential F1 drivers, whose full glory we expect to see very soon.
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