George Russell’s karting academy to give kids fully funded racing season

The GR63 Academy aims to tackle a barrier Russell knows from his own route into motorsport: the cost of getting a first chance to race. Russell got his start in karting and went on to win back-to-back European junior titles in 2011 and 2012 before reaching Formula 1.

“Karting is where it all started for me,” Russell said. “I also know how hard it is for talented young drivers to get that first opportunity, especially when budgets are tight.”

For aspiring racers, the first step is a 15-minute session at Silverstone. Qualifying runs from Dec. 6 to 31 and costs £25 per session. The 80 fastest drivers will advance to a second round on Jan. 31, which costs £75 per driver and will determine who gets the 25 championship places.

The academy will cover the cost of the eight-round championship from March to November and provide each driver with a helmet, racing suit, gloves and boots. The drivers will race on a different Silverstone kart track layout at each round.

The top five finishers will advance to a final assessment in December 2027. Alongside lap times, they will be judged on how they race against others, their fitness and how they handle media interviews. The winner will receive a fully funded karting season in 2028.

Earlier, Qazinform reported that Mercedes clinched its ninth Formula 1 constructors’ title at the São Paulo Grand Prix, where Russell finished fourth and teammate Kimi Antonelli took fifth.