George Russell Reveals Dramatic £100,000 'Career Defining' Moment That Got Him A Seat At Mercedes

Mercedes driver George Russell opened up about the £100,000 prize money he won from winning a race that became his career-defining moment.

Jun 9, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Mercedes driver George Russell (GBR) salutes the crowd during the drivers parade of the Canadien Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Mercedes driver George Russell opened up about the £100,000 prize money he won from winning a race that became his career-defining moment. The victory put the British driver on Mercedes' radar, eventually leading the team to sign him for the seat alongside Lewis Hamilton.

Russell seized every chance to advance in his racing career, from winning the British Formula 4 Championship as a teenager to clinching the Formula 2 world title in 2018. However, it wasn't these accomplishments that ultimately earned him a seat with the Brackley outfit. Though he made his Formula 1 debut with Williams Racing, there was one event from his life that caught the eye of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, eventually leading him to secure a seat in 2022.

Explaining his admirable racing journey and the most defining moment of his racing career, he revealed on the Performance People Podcast:

"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.

"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."

Revealing the turning point of his career, he added:

"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."

Following Hamilton's announcement that he will join Ferrari next year, Russell is set to take on the role of team leader at Mercedes in 2025. He will be joined by Formula 2 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, whose promotion was recently confirmed by the team. Wolff decided just five minutes after Hamilton's departure news that the 18-year-old would be the team's next driver, although other options, such as Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz, were also considered.