Emotional Russell looks back on £100,000 prize and 'career defining moment'

F1 News

Russells reflects on his steps to Formula 1
9 September at 07:00
5
  • Matt Gretton
  • Editor-in-Chief

George Russell is now an established Formula 1 driver with over 100 Grands Prix, multiple podiums, multiple pole positions and two wins. But the 26-year-old still keeps his feet on the ground and foundly remembers his journey to the top of motorsport. He highlights how many career defining moment came way before his debut in Formula 1.

Russell had a well documented career in the step-up classes to Formula 1. This included winning the Formula 2 title on debut in 2018. But the current Mercedes driver reflected further back in time.

"There are many moments that stand out. When I raced in go-karting at 12 years old at a national level, that didn't make me a Formula 1 driver but at the time it was so important to me. When I look back now, that championship win at the age of 12 propelled me to the next step in my career. Then I won the British Formula 4 Championship," Russell said on the Performance People Podcast.

"It's not an F1 race, not a F1 podium or Championship but at the time that was the defining moment in my career because it propelled me to the next step which put me on the radar of Toto Wolff and Mercedes. I signed to Mercedes the following year."

What is Russell's most defining moment?

Russell went on to recall a special moment in his career. "The most defining was when I was 16 years old. In the UK, we have a very prestigious award at the end of every year. Six drivers chosen to go for a shootout. They call it the young driver of the year award. Winning that award for any young driver was huge. £100,000 prize money that came with it. I was only 16 and they had to change the rules for me to compete. I managed to win this award and that felt like a turning point," Russell remembered. 

Next season, Russell will become the team leader at Mercedes alongside Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The young Mercedes talent will be pushing hard to impress in his debut year.

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