George Russell

Driver profile

Born in King’s Lynn, United Kingdom, Russell entered F1 with Williams in 2019 and became a full-time Mercedes driver in 2022. His experience spans learning in a back-of-the-grid car, a temporary opportunity in a championship-winning car, and Grand Prix victories with a works team. He drives car number 63 in 2026 alongside Antonelli.

Early development and progression

Russell won the GP3 title in 2017 and the F2 title the following year. Mercedes brought him into its junior programme during that period, then used a Williams seat to help him gain full race experience. Driving a car with limited competitiveness in his rookie season meant that annual points alone could not reflect his performance; qualifying against his teammate, mistakes and the range of positions the car could achieve all need to be considered.

Career timeline

2017—2018Won successive GP3 and F2 titles, becoming a key prospect in Mercedes’ driver development programme.
2019Entered F1 with Williams and maintained a qualifying advantage over teammate Kubica throughout his rookie season.
2020Stood in for Hamilton at Mercedes for the Sakhir Grand Prix.
2021—2022Scored a podium in Belgium in 2021; joined Mercedes full-time in 2022 and took his first win in São Paulo.
2024—2026Won Grands Prix in both 2024 and 2025; formed a new pairing with Antonelli after Hamilton’s departure.

2026 season snapshot

The following figures were checked against official F1 pages on 2026-9-23. They are a snapshot, not live standings or the final season result.

Season position: Position 2
Season points: 211
Official Grand Prix count: 14
Grand Prix wins: 2
Grand Prix podiums: 7
Grand Prix poles: 4
Sprint points: 34
Sprint wins: 3

Season points already include Sprint points and must not be added again. Grand Prix and Sprint wins are listed separately; the season position here and historical honours at the top have different statistical scopes.

Landmark races: standing in at Sakhir and a first win in São Paulo

The 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix gave Russell his first chance to challenge for victory in a Mercedes, but pit-stop errors and tyre problems denied him the win. That race provides evidence of his ability to adapt quickly, but cannot be recorded as a victory. The 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix was his actual first F1 win. The two races represent demonstrating competitive potential and delivering the result respectively; distinguishing them helps explain his development accurately.

How to read the racing

Russell’s qualifying ability is a starting point for observation; in races, consider whether he can maintain tyre condition, limit losses in traffic and convert pace into points. The unusual weather and race circumstances in Belgium in 2021 also remind readers that podiums can have very different contexts. Comparisons with Antonelli should consider both cars’ setups and race incidents, rather than assuming seniority automatically determines the team’s leading driver.

This section is editorial interpretation based on career history and racing patterns, intended to help viewers understand the action. It does not represent published team setup or telemetry findings.

Results and statistical scope

Within the statistical scope used on this page, the record as of verification comprises 166 Grand Prix entries, 1244 points, 7 Grand Prix wins, 31 podiums in the official count, 12 poles and 0 drivers’ world titles. The best finish is position 1 (7 times).

Career figures include results from previous teams, rather than belonging only to the current team. Grand Prix entries are not the same as actual starts or finishes. Cumulative points are affected by changes to scoring systems over the years and are unsuitable as a standalone basis for ranking drivers across eras.

Had he already joined Mercedes in 2020?

He was only a temporary replacement for one race that year; his regular seat remained at Williams. His full-time Mercedes race career began in 2022.

Last verified: 2026-09-23