GP3 champion Russell has a drive for the future

Abu Dhabi: There is a spark in the eyes of George Russell and why shouldn’t there be? With the 2017 GP3 title firmly tucked under his belt before the final round, the 19-year-old Englishman is on a high and is already dreaming big.

With four wins, six podium finishes and three pole positions Russell is the eighth GP3 champion since the category was created in 2010.

A member of the Mercedes Junior Driver programme, Russell is the latest young man on the fast lane and is looking to using GP3 as a launch pad for his ticket to Formula One.

“Obviously, Formula One is my clear goal,” said Russell.

But with seats at a premium and long list of potential drivers waiting in the wings, he is eyeing a role as a reserve driver. “I think for next season everything is tight in F1, unfortunately for me,” said Russell, who might be now inclined to combine an F2 programme with a reserve-driver role at the Sahara Force India team.

Russell is confident this opportunity will come and it is just as matter of time. Of the previous seven GP3 champions, four have already made the switch to F1 — inaugural winner Esteban Gutierrez, 2011 champion Valtteri Bottas, Daniil Kvyat, who took the 2013 title, and the 2015 champion Esteban Ocon. Last year’s winner Charles Leclerc is tipped to be with a F1 team in 2018 — and Russell is keen to follow in those young men’s tracks.

Russell has already tested for two days for world champions Mercedes at Budapest earlier this year. At the most recent Grand Prix in Brazil he was in a Force India car for the first free-practice session. The Hungary test saw him complete no fewer than 209 laps of the tight Hungaroring.

“I wanted to do a good job for the team and tick all of their test items,” said Russell. “We didn’t focus on coming out on top of the timesheets. We came away from this test learning a lot. From our point of view we took everything away we needed to.”

In GP3 round seven in Jerez, Russell needed to outscore Jack Aitken by four points to claim the title. Nirei Fukuzumi took pole late in qualifying ahead of title rivals Aitken and Russell, and when the lights went out the Japanese driver got away well. Aitken tried in vain to get by and in doing so allowed Russell to muscle past for P2 between his ART teammates at the flag.

Ahead of the final round of the season, Yas Marina Circuit is well known to both teams and drivers given its popularity as a test circuit. Given the data the teams have, and the fact that both titles have been wrapped up, it promises to be a no-hold-barred battle for victory in both races this weekend.

Consistent driver

Anthoine Hubert is the most consistent driver, scoring points in all bar one race (Spa Race 1) this year.

ART Grand Prix are the Teams’ Champions, picking up their 7th title in 8 seasons.

George Russell is the Drivers’ Champion

The fight for the Vice-Champion position is being led by Jack Aitken on 140 points, ahead of teammates Nirei Fukuzumi (134) and Hubert (117)

Trident have a substantial lead in the fight for P2 in the Teams’ title, on 244 points from Jenzer Motorsport on 135

This round will be the final one for DAMS, who leave the Series this year: their entry will be taken over by MP Motorsport

Arden International and DAMS are the only teams without a win this season.

Season Stats

6 Points between Jack Aitken (P2) and Nirei Fukuzumi (P3) in the Drivers’ Championship

4 ART drivers in the top 4

18 Points between Anthoine Hubert (P4) and Giuliano Alesi (P5) in the Drivers’ Championship