Very few of us really know what it feels like to drive a Formula 1 car. Even fewer have reached and touched the limit where the car grabs you by the collarbones and throws you back into your seat. But George Russell was “born” for these moments, he says, and when he describes the blissful feeling of being one with his F1 car, it is as if he could feel the steering wheel in his fingers.
“It’s like you’re on the fastest, most exciting roller coaster and arriving at a corner without necessarily knowing you’ll come out on the other side,” he says. “When you do that, it’s incredibly exciting. This is what a lap feels like every time you push the car to the limit, so … so fine that you think it’s enough, but you just don’t know. When you dial into this zone and feel at one with the car, it’s a really nice feeling. “
The adrenaline is addicting, Russell admits, and he was hooked from a young age when he embarked on a young karting career in Norfolk. His reputation as the next big thing spread throughout the industry in a whisper, with a unique talent and a maturity beyond his years: seeing interviews with 13-year-old George is a little annoying as an angelic boy with the serious one Clarity from a seasoned athlete.
Russell’s rapid rise led him to Formula 1 in 2019 and impressed in a challenging Williams car. Soon he will take another huge step when he joins Mercedes next season to drive alongside his idol Lewis Hamilton. “When I went through my karting days, he was the driver I looked up to. Next year I’ll be in an incredibly privileged position to compete against the greatest of all time, to learn from him and hopefully make myself a better driver and compete against him. “
Earlier this year, Russell made a joke of his barely appearing on Netflix’s hugely successful Drive to Survive series – the sport’s closest answer to succession full of drama, tension and rich people infuriating each other. The show has reached new audiences – “They show a different light to the sport and it’s definitely fun to watch,” he says – and Russell will no doubt be a season four main character if his move to Hamilton at Mercedes is for a big one Plot.
Their relationship goes back further than Hamilton knows, to a wonderful 2009 photo of an 11-year-old Russell patiently waiting for a signature from the world champion under a head of hair in the background. At 23, Russell becomes more prominent than ever. How does he feel about a spotlight that only gets brighter as he competes for world championships?
George Russell will drive with Lewis Hamilton next season
(Getty)
“I’m a racing driver and I just want to race and if I was totally selfish I would do all of that, but of course there is a lot more to it,” says Russell. “The sponsor events are a big part of it, because without sponsors and partners we ultimately cannot race. But I was raised to be a racing driver, not a speaker. In a way, you’re born to be in a racing car, not to be in front of the camera, but you get to that level when you almost expect to do both. “
His move to Mercedes will propel him into a new stratosphere of control and attention, but there are opportunities on and off the track. He was recently at the James Bond premiere, an opportunity to take his girlfriend out on a date worthy of real F1 glamor. “That was a cool experience,” he says. His girlfriend works in finance in London but has traveled to many races this season. “She lives and breathes the sport with me and she often has to make the same sacrifices as I do, whether going to bed early or following a strict diet, not drinking with my pals or if I keep it clean. She supports me in this, so I think there must be some advantages. “
He also plans to move to Monte Carlo, but the reality of life as an F1 driver isn’t all that luxurious. Airports and hotel rooms merge into one. “Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of glamor behind it and it could be much, much worse, but we don’t go into town, we don’t go to fancy restaurants, we don’t do any of that. After seeing some of the world “It really is a beautiful place and I would love to have the opportunity to drive freely and visit it, but at the moment my priority has been to be the best driver possible.”
Russell has had another impressive season at Williams
(Getty Images)
His focus is on ending his Williams era strong. There are six races left this season, starting with the US Grand Prix this weekend, which means six more ways to earn points before a new chapter begins where the parameters of success will change. The feeling behind the wheel will be similar, however, and for all the bells and whistles that Formula 1 brings, the Russell Circuit is the happy place. You just have to listen to him to understand that much.
“The thrill of driving a perfect lap, coupled with the speed, almost takes your breath away,” he says, eyes wandering into the middle distance, fingers back on the wheel. “I would like to know how little we breathe during a lap because you keep holding your breath and pushing yourself through these curves. And then there is the cognitive side, this concentration, knowing when to brake, how much speed you can bring through the bend, the switches to change the steering wheel, the conversations with the engineers through the lap, the tire check, the brake control … You are not just a wild animal to be thrown into this beast, you thread the needle. “
The post F1’s George Russell on fame, adrenaline and Netflix: “We were born to race, not to be in front of the camera” first appeared on monter-une-startup.
