Racing Roots:

King’s Lynn, Bologna and Beyond

'They Gave Me Every Opportunity'

George Russell's racing life changed in December 2016. On the verge of stepping away from single-seater racing and turning to Touring Cars, he returns home from a training ride on cold and muddy English winter day and takes a bath.

A few moments later, the phone rings. Mercedes F1 Driver Development Advisor Gwen Lagrue is on the line.

"I panicked, but answered," recalls George.

"I was doing everything I could not to make the water move around me! That was the very first phone call I had regarding joining Mercedes.

"A short while later I had my first meeting with Toto, Ron Meadows, and my manager. Gwen was there, too.

"It felt like the beginning of my journey to F1."

The journey up to that point started at age seven, inspired by watching his brother Benji at local go-kart tracks near his hometown, King's Lynn in England.

But it was George who soared highest of the siblings. Go-karting success followed, and it wasn't long before single-seaters came calling.

In his first season out of karts, George claimed the BRDC Formula 4 championship (now GB3) in the United Kingdom, and at the end of the season took a pole and race win in a Formula Renault Eurocup race in Jerez - just his second event in the series.

This gave Gwen all the proof he needed. The rest is history.

Titles at GP3 and Formula 2 levels in consecutive seasons after joining Mercedes was enough to earn a place on the F1 grid for 2019.

"They gave me every opportunity to fulfil my potential and perform," George adds.

"I probably didn't realise how important that was at the time. I feel incredibly fortunate that Mercedes picked me up when they did."

That connection to the early days remains in 2025, even with George now in his seventh season of Formula 1.

"I still have a very close relationship with George to this day," explains Gwen.

"He's someone I rate very highly as a driver but also as a person and I will be always there to help him racing-wise but also on a personal side."

From Bologna to Brackley

Aptly, Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes story began with a phone call in a car. At 12 years old, he wasn't behind the wheel, but father Marco was.

"It was really cool, I was in the car with my dad and we suddenly got the call from Toto asking me to join the team," says Kimi.

"To share that moment with my Dad is something I will remember forever."

Kimi cut his karting teeth in Bologna, not far from Imola - the home of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Gwen remembers watching Kimi mix it with those in superior machinery on the go-kart track.

"He wasn't winning when we first watched him, he was P3, P4, P5. He was still doing mega even without the right materials," Gwen says.

"It is about analysing more than just the classification at the end of a weekend. A year later, he crushed everyone."

Kimi didn't leave many crumbs for those lining up alongside him to sweep up.

In his first season as a Mercedes junior (aged 12) Kimi won the WSK Euro Series and Super Master Series titles at OK Junior category.

For good measure, he also finished runner-up in the FIA European Karting Championship and finished P5 in the World Championship.

Back-to-back European Championship titles followed at OK level, and another WSK Euro Series.

The success transferred to single-seaters, with Kimi claiming four titles in two seasons - Italian and German F4 in 2022, and Formula Regional Middle East and Regional in 2023.

A young career, managed and moulded by Mercedes.

"I don't think I would be here right now without the team," says Kimi.

"Mercedes have been super supportive, even through the tough moments, when you know you need to push yourself to become better.

"They give people a chance. I am not just saying it because I am in it, but it is one of the best junior programmes."

And of course, that goes for more than just the racing.

"It's about you as a human being. I have had help outside the track too. Mercedes have always been there trying to make me feel better and help me to improve."