George Russell snubs Ayrton Senna’s hero as he names his Mount Rushmore of British F1 drivers

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Mercedes driver George Russell is hoping to one day add his name to the list of British Formula 1 champions.

George Russell could be beaten to that accolade by McLaren rival Lando Norris, as he hopes to pip teammate Oscar Piastri to the drivers’ championship this year.

However, the Mercedes driver has been one of the most impressive drivers on the grid this year, winning the Canadian Grand Prix in the process.

He’s opened up a 128-point lead over rookie teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and Russell is now hoping to take inspiration from some of his racing heroes.

Russell is making similar demands to Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes as he hopes to secure a new contract ahead of next season.

Lewis Hamilton was Russell’s teammate for three years, and while he may not have had his most successful spell in F1 while they were together, he still showed glimpses of why he was a seven-time world champion.

The 27-year-old was asked to create his Mount Rushmore of British Formula 1 drivers, and while Hamilton obviously featured, there were a couple of glaring omissions.

READ MORE: Mercedes driver George Russell’s life outside F1 from net worth to height

George Russell leaves out Jim Clark and Damon Hill from his British F1 Mount Rushmore

In a TikTok on SportBible’s account, Russell had to name his four British racing legends.

He said: “Alright, we’ll go Lewis, we’ll go Nigel Mansell, I’ll go James Hunt, and I’ll go Jackie Stewart.

“I’m trying to think, because I’ve gone for every era there.

“Lewis, obviously, Nigel Mansell, good old Nige! The car looked cool. James Hunt, we don’t need to go into detail on that one.

“And Jackie Stewart, because, why not!”

This means that Ayrton Senna’s hero Jim Clark and father and son championship-winning duo Damon Hill and Graham Hill both missed out.

That’s understandable given that Hill Snr. and Clark raced long before Russell was born, although Damon Hill might feel slightly hard done by.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

How many British drivers have won the Formula 1 drivers’ championship?

Ten British drivers have won the drivers’ championship in Formula 1’s 75-year history, with Norris aiming to be the 11th this season.

Mercedes have very high hopes for 2026, and that could give Russell the car he needs to add his name to that elusive list.

Hamilton’s seven world championships mean he’s the joint-record holder with Michael Schumacher, while Great Britain has produced three more multiple world champions.

Jackie Stewart won the championship on three occasions, while Jim Clark and Graham Hill were two-time champions.

Nigel Mansell and James Hunt made Russell’s list despite only winning one title each.

The other British drivers on the list include Jenson Button, Damon Hill, John Surtees and Britain’s first F1 champion, Mike Hawthorn.

There are a handful of Brits, including Russell and Norris, hoping to add their names to that list very soon.

Red Bull are considering promoting Arvid Lindblad in F1 in 2026, and he would be the latest driver who could potentially add his name to that list one day.