George Russell never had a very bright childhood. Even though they weren’t poor, they weren’t from a very wealthy background, either. Coming from this background, and finally making it to Formula 1 was a dream come true moment for the driver, and most importantly for Steve Russell, George’s father.
As the young British driver was on his way to make his debut in F1, there was one man who breathed long and left a sigh of relief. Speaking to The Times UK recently, he opened up on the moment when he saw his son making the dream debut after years of hard work and dedication.
Russell Sr. said that the moment became worthy when he stood up Russell as there’s no magic wand to becoming an F1 driver. He then looked up at the enormous crowd in the venue and stated, “Oh my God, we’ve actually got here.”
The emotions of the 67-year-old are justified, as the journey of being a Formula 1 driver is never easy. Even if a person belongs to an ultra-rich family, there’s hardly any guarantee that the person will get a seat in the premium form of motorsport if he can’t perform.
Russell had a formidable upbringing
As shared by the Mercedes driver himself, he had a decent upbringing. He shared that he was not from a wealthy background and his father had a seed and pulse business.
Together with his two siblings, he used to live in a mobile home along with his parents. The house was built in the field, middle of nowhere, near Wisbech in Cambridgeshire.
Someone who now sees millions of dollars being talked like peanuts, once rode a pedal tractor to go around the site. Reversing with a trailer and hurtling through corners.
Family played an important part in Russell’s life
Parents play a very important part in all our lives. It’s the same in Formula 1 and the drivers’ lives as well. Let’s take the example of Max Verstappen, who had both his father’s and mother’s endless support to see where he is now.
There is also Lewis Hamilton, who had his father by his side throughout his racing upbringing. But Russell had his mother, father, and siblings who played a big part.
As per Russell, his father was his mechanic, his mother did the cooking as well as looking after his data on driving. To top it off, his siblings acted as his mentor. In the end, they helped to build up the George Russell that he’s today.
