“I hope I can do the same as Fernando Alonso”: 17-year-old George Russell hoped to follow career of 2-time World Champion

"I hope I can do the same as Fernando Alonso": 17-year-old George Russell hoped to follow career of 2-time World Champion

George Russell is one of the most popular and talented drivers in F1 today. The 24-year-old spent the first three years of his career with Williams but moved to Mercedes in 2022. There, he teamed up alongside the legendary Lewis Hamilton, and they hit it off right away. However, an old video of Russell shows that he idolized Fernando Alonso a lot during his junior career.

Alonso is arguably one of the all-time greats in F1. He has two World Championships to his name, which he won during his Renault stint back in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Since then, he has driven for McLaren, and Ferrari and has had further spells at Alpine (formerly Renault). Unfortunately, he failed to add more Title wins to his name.

In a recent video that is being circulated online, a 17-year-old Russell talks about Alonso, and how much he admires him. Russell praised the Spaniard’s ability to maximize the potential of any car at his disposal and admitted that he hopes that he follows in his footsteps.

“He’s always performed,” Russell said. “No matter what car he’s been in. “I hope I can do the same as him, and hopefully I’ll be in as good, or a better car, and hopefully I’ll be very successful.”

Also read: “It took us so long”: Mick Schumacher was considered to drive in 2023 for long time reveals Haas boss

George Russell and Fernando Alonso party hard ahead of the New Year

On the 31st of December, Russell posted a picture of himself and Alonso partying hard, with cigars in their mouth! It seems as though the two have formed a great relationship in their short time together in the sport so far.

Today, Russell is considered to be one of the most talented drivers in F1. During the three years he spent at Williams, he couldn’t show anyone how good he was because of the team’s poor mechanical package. However, with his arrival in Mercedes, he showed everyone his consistency and skill and even managed to finish ahead of Hamilton in the standings.

Alonso meanwhile, had a difficult year with Alpine. He had the pace, as was evident in most Grand Prixs, but reliability issues limited his charge up the field, and tensions between Alonso and the team grew every week. When Sebastian Vettel announced that he would retire after the 2022 season, Alonso didn’t waste time in signing for Aston Martin as his replacement.

The 41-year-old has signed a multi-year contract with the Silverstone-based outfit and is showing no signs of slowing down in spite of his age.

Also read: Fernando Alonso promotes his new $192,000 company car at his own racetrack

 

 

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Alpine Aston Martin Fernando Alonso George Russell Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Williams

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Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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