George Russell Exposes The Shocking Price Tag To Make It In Formula 1

What a huge sum of money.

George Russel | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport for a reason — the glitz and the glamour, 24 Grand Prix races across five continents, and cars competing at the fastest speeds possible.

But the caveat that comes with racing at the top is the combination of millions of dollars and a lack of opportunities. Every driver needs a bit of luck to progress through the ranks, from karting to the junior formulas, and ultimately reach the top level.

The sport, in theory, showcases the 20 (soon to be 22) fastest drivers in the world. But the journey to the top is far from easy.

George Russell reveals the jaw-dropping costs behind making it to F1

Mercedes' George Russell was victorious at the Singapore Grand Prix. | Mercedes Press Image

Mercedes driver George Russell is one of the rare cases of how a hugely talented driver can make it to Formula 1 without outside financial backing.

In his article for The Players’ Tribune, he shared more about his journey rising through the ranks and the personal (and financial) sacrifices he and his family made to ensure he could fulfill his dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver.

"Altogether, my father probably spent over a million pounds on my racing career. That’s a hell of a lot of money. Sadly in motorsport though, that doesn’t even get you halfway to F1. And that’s basically everything we had. My dad didn’t give me all the traditional childhood cradling in the world.… But he put his hand in his pocket and gave me every available penny he had. He sold his business to fund my racing. And sacrificed something even more valuable. Time. Every waking second, he sacrificed for my dream."

George Russell

As Russell opened up about this massive financial figure, especially compared to other drivers on the grid with greater wealth (who could inject more money into their careers), it’s clear that the sacrifices his family made paid off.

George Russell | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Russell’s career saw him join the Mercedes young driver program in 2017, before winning back-to-back junior championships in GP3 and Formula 2.

While that's a rare feat in itself, his move to Formula 1 saw him spend three years driving for the backmarker Williams before later racing for one of the sport's most prestigious manufacturers, Mercedes, since 2022.

He now has five race wins to his name with the Stuttgart manufacturer, and shows that with a combination of sacrifices, talent, a bit of money, and fortunate circumstances, dreams can be achieved.