Is George Russell the future of Formula 1?

George Russell’s bold declaration at the W14 launch has set the tone for the upcoming 2023 Formula One season. He’s eager to help his team chase down their rivals Red Bull and Ferrari, and with the new W14 car and a fresh start, Mercedes is poised for success. With Russell’s impressive performance in the 2022 season, it’s clear that he will be a key player in the team’s pursuit of victory.

It’s clear that Russell will be a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming season. He’s hungry for success and determined to help his team get back on top. Red Bull and Ferrari should take heed of his warning, as they may be in for a tough fight.

George Russell: Karting to Formula 1

Mercedes’ star driver George Russell has set his sights high for the upcoming 2023 Formula One season. Speaking at the W14 launch, the 25-year-old didn’t hold back when asked about his goals, stating that he’s eager to help his team chase down their rivals Red Bull and Ferrari.

The 2022 season was a frustrating one for Russell and his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, as they finished third in the Constructors’ Championship, ending their incredible streak of eight consecutive team titles. But with the new season comes new hope, and the dynamic duo is eager to turn things around in 2023.

Formula 4 and Formula 3

It wasn’t long before Russell moved into Formula racing to take his career to the next level. At just 16 he won the Formula 4 British Championship in 2014 with defending champions Lanan Racing – a year in which he also competed in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0.

As well as becoming F4 champion, he won the final round of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 in Jerez as a guest entry, starting from pole position.

His next move was a natural progression to Formula 3 European Championships in 2015-16, with further impressive results. His first win in Formula 3 came as he pipped current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc to victory at Silverstone and Russell finished the season as runner up to Leclerc in the championship standings.

GP3 Series and FIA Formula 2 Championship

It wasn’t until he made the jump to the GP3 Series, the third step away from Formula 1, that he caught the attention of Toto Wolff, then being given the opportunity to join Mercedes’ young driver programme. Racing with ART Grand Prix – who he’d tested with at Yas Marina in November 2016 – George Russell led the drivers championship most of the season and won the trophy before the final race weekend.

This catapulted Russell – winning the championship in his debut season – into the FIA Formula 2 Championship the season after, where he once again won the title in his debut season – all but guaranteeing himself a drive in Formula One.

The year Russell managed to defeat fellow Brit Lando Norris to the Formula 2 Championship, 2018, he was also named as the reserve driver for Mercedes in Formula One. The British Champion was also named as Pirelli Tyre test driver for Force India in May 2018, enhancing his reputation and experience as he rose towards Formula 1.

Formula One: Williams, Mercedes, back to Williams

George Russell managed to finally reach the promised land of Formula 1 when given a contract with Williams for 2019, partnering Robert Kubica for the year.

Russell scored a multi year deal with Williams, though the first year didn’t go exactly to plan as the Williams car was far off the pace and he was the only driver to finish the calendar without a championship point.

2020 was a slightly different story, however, with George Russell claiming his first points in the top class of motor racing – albeit not in the Williams car.

As reserve driver for Mercedes, Russell joined the world champions for the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain as stand-in for future team mate Lewis Hamilton, who had tested positive for Covid. After narrowly missing out on pole to fellow Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, George Russell had showed excellent skills throughout the race weekend and only technical errors prevented him from achieving a well-deserved podium.

Williams in 2021: First podium

George Russell continued with Williams for the 2021 season, having a series of near-misses in races throughout the year until the Hungarian Grand Prix in August.

Russell qualified 17th on the grid but had a sensational Sunday, finishing a career-best 8th position and claiming his first points with Williams. He went even better in a rain-affected Belgian Grand Prix when finishing second in qualifying, before claiming that same position when the race was halted and earning a first podium of his career.

He went on to score further points in Russia and Italy, finishing the championship with 16 points. Russell’s car retired on just 2 occasions in 2021, once as result of a collision and once due to gearbox issues, as Russell ended the year 15th in the Formula 1 championship.

Partnering Lewis Hamilton

In 2022 George Russell will call 7-time world champion and Formula 1 race great, Lewis Hamilton, his teammate, replacing Valtteri Bottas. It has been the ultimate test for many a driver, and only Nico Rosberg can claim to have got the better of Hamilton as a teammate over the course of a season (2016).

As Hamilton is coming to the end of his career, George Russell is very much considered the future face of Mercedes. But he won’t just be there to make up the numbers and is keen to push the Formula One world champion, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, all the way in the title race.

There may even be signs that Hamilton is a little fearful having George Russell as his teammate in 2022. The multiple-world champion spoke of his support of Valtteri Bottas, a driver that has never really threatened the driver over the four years they have been teammates. Hamilton will expect a different challenge altogether when Russell makes the jump from a Williams car to the Mercedes set-up, and it is going to be great to watch.

George Russell has signed a multi-year deal at Mercedes that will run from 2022 until 2023, and has already achieved 2 top-5 finishes in F1 this season. From one British champion to another, it will be an interesting Grand Prix season ahead.

You can catch all of Russell’s races on the F1 calendar live with Foxtel and Kayo Sports.

Other F1 drivers

While you’re here, don’t forget to read our other driver reviews.

How to watch George Russell in F1

Each and every Formula One weekend is broadcast on Fox Sports (Kayo/Foxtel), in Australia. With Fox Sports you can watch every practice session, qualifying session and race live and on demand. There are several providers that allow you to access Fox Sports on your home TV or with a mobile device. These options are all listed below, so there is no excuse to miss out when the next race gets underway.

Stream Formula One with Kayo

Kayo Sports streaming service gives you access to 14 dedicated sports channel including Fox Sports 506. This means that you can watch every Formula One Race Live or On Demand. You can check the service out for free with the Kayo 7-Day Trial offer for good measure. Kayo Sports is available for $25 (Basic plan, stream on two devices) or $35 (Premium Plan, stream on three devices) thereafter.

Live Stream Formula One with Foxtel Now

The Foxtel Now streaming service also offer access to Fox Sports 506 via their Sports Pack. That means that you get access to F1 as well as everything else Fox Sports has to offer, including ESPN and beIN. The Foxtel Now 10 Day Trial offer is available to new customers. To get the Sports Pack ($29/month) you must first subscribe to the Essential Pack option ($25/month). This means that watching F1 and TV entertainment after your trial will cost a total of $54 per month.

Watch Formula 1 Grand Prix with Telstra

Telstra customers can get great deals for watching both Kayo Sports and Foxtel Now, and therefore Formula 1. With the Telstra Kayo Offer, you can get a $10 per month reduction on Basic ($15/month) and Premium ($25/month) plans. The Foxtel Now Telstra offer gives you the first month for free, meaning you can access all of channel packs, including Sports, for free. The Kayo from Telstra offer also lasts for 12 months, which is ideal for the entire F1 season.

What to Watch after F1 Grand Prix

If you’re looking for something to watch after F1 on Kayo and Foxtel, there are over 50 live sports available at the touch of a button. These include Cricket, Soccer, Golf and more across channels from Fox Sports, ESPN and beIN. Check out what’s available to watch now with these providers below.

F1 Streaming devices

Looking for a great way to stream F1 at home? These sports streaming devices are perfect for just that, allowing you to stream all the action in High definition.