Meet F1 driver George Russell: the Tommy Hilfiger ambassador became Mercedes teammates with his childhood idol Lewis Hamilton – but why has he ‘lost respect for’ Red Bull’s Max Verstappen?

Dec 12 , 2024

Mercedes’ driver George Russell arrives ahead of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix on December 8. Photo: AFP

George Russell has been racing since he was a child in British karting circuits, pairing his meteoric rise to F1 stardom with his candid approach to speaking with the press

The dramatic 2024 Formula One season came to an emotional end this weekend in Abu Dhabi as Lando Norris’ stunning win brought McLaren its first constructors’ title in 26 years, and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton drove his last race for Mercedes-AMG before moving to Ferrari in 2025.

But it’s Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, who was making headlines ahead of the season finale with a furious war of words with reigning champion Max Verstappen. At the previous race weekend, the Qatar Grand Prix, Russell reported Verstappen for impeding him during the qualifying session on Saturday, which stewards also determined to be the case. This resulted in Verstappen being handed a one-place grid penalty, which meant the Dutch driver started the race on Sunday in second place.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after qualifying in pole position along with second placed Mercedes’ George Russell at the Qatar Grand Prix, on November 30. Photo: Reuters

A surprised and furious Verstappen went on a public verbal rampage, saying, “I’ve never seen someone trying to screw someone over that hard”. Russell even claimed that Verstappen threatened to crash into him, alleging that the other driver said he’d put his “f***ing head in the wall”. Russell responded, “I’m not going to sit here and accept it … People have been bullied by Max for years now, and you can’t question his driving abilities. But he cannot deal with adversity.”

The feud came after Verstappen faced a tough season in his bid to win his fourth title. As it intensified, both team principals – Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Mercedes’ Toto Wolff – stepped in to take sides and reignite their own animosity, while the two drivers sat as far as possible from each other during the annual end-of-season drivers’ dinner.

But who is George Russell, the F1 driver at the centre of the controversy?

How did George Russell start racing?

Russell was born to Steve and Alison Russell on February 15, 1998, in King’s Lynn, England. He grew up around karting tracks while watching his brother Benjy compete. In 2006, George began karting competitively himself. He still uses 63 – his brother’s go-karting number – as his car number today.

His early career

Between 2009 and 2013, Russell’s career took off as he secured numerous championship titles on the British karting circuit.

He jumped to single-seater racing in 2014, winning the British Racing Drivers’ Club Formula 4 Championship, taking several podiums and receiving the prestigious McLaren BRDC Autosport Award.