George Russell is one of the most popular drivers in F1 today. The Brit made his debut in the sport back in 2019 with Williams but failed to show his full potential because of the car’s relatively slow pace. However, he was always labeled as a world champion in the making and a move to a big team was inevitable.
Ahead of the 2022 season, Russell joined Mercedes and had his trademark number 63 displayed on the silver livery of the W13. His number 63 has been his number of choice since he made his way into F1.
Russell chose that number, particularly because of its connection with his family. Russell’s brother used to have the number 63 on his car when he started his racing career. Since then, it became their family number and he stuck to it firmly. The 24-year-old plans on using 63 for the rest of his F1 career.
Also read: How Daniel Ricciardo Inspired Max Verstappen to Choose Number 33 in Formula 1
George Russell talks about his brother’s world championship potential
In an interview with High Performance, Russell spoke about his brother’s immense racing talent and how he laments that he couldn’t get to the top. Benjy Russell was a huge talent in the karting circuit but his only flaw was that he started at the age of 11.
So glad you have kept the No.63 I Remember putting it on your brothers Kart when he first started #proudofyourfamily, you was in the car seat still. Good luck I will be watching
— Sir 4D😇🤘🏻🕺🏼 (@51F0RDY) January 4, 2019
Most successful racing drivers start karting at a very young age & 11 is considered to be very late. Despite that, he won several national and world championships in karting but because of his relatively old age, no one gave him a chance in single-seater racing.
Even though his brother didn’t make it big in the world of racing, Russell cites him as an inspiration and labels him as the reason why he got into the sport in the first place.
Also read: Charles Leclerc Reveals Story Behind Him Choosing Number 16 in Formula 1
Russell looking to build on an impressive start to life at Mercedes
When Russell joined Mercedes in 2022, many people felt he would struggle to match his 7-time World Champion teammate Lewis Hamilton. However, he turned out to be one of the most consistent drivers on the grid and finished ahead of the 38-year-old in the standings.
GEORGE RUSSELL WINS THE SAO PAULO GP 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/S5OGcsWqis
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 13, 2022
Russell also won his first-ever race for Mercedes in 2022 at the Sao Paolo GP, which was the Brackley-based outfit’s only win of the year. Heading into 2023, the man from King’s-Lynn will be hoping to build on his impressive start to life at Mercedes, and compete for the coveted drivers’ championship.
