Friends - rivals - future champions? Russell, Norris & Albon on their F1 rise

F1

From the junior categories to the top of F1, George Russell, Lando Norris and Alex Albon have shared much of their careers together. In an exclusive interview, published in our October issue, the trio sit down and look back on their journey so far

Albon shows his phone to Norris and Russell

Albon shows his popular pets’ Instagram page

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Motor Sport

Rivalries are commonplace in F1. Lasting friendships? Less so. But battling wheel-to-wheel over the past three seasons has done little to sever the bond between George Russell, Lando Norris and Alex Albon – drivers who all fought against each other in F2 and then left with an F1 deal to show for it.

“Fighting is a strong word!” Russell says. “We were competing against each other…”

All three drivers spoke exclusively to Motor Sport correspondent Chris Medland for an interview published in our latest October edition. As well as sharing the highs and lows from their F1 career so far, and placing bets on which of the trio will be world champion first, they shared memories of their heady rise through the junior categories to the very pinnacle of motor sport – becoming young superstars in the process.

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Throughout their seminal 2018 F2 season, each driver performed brilliantly, starting with Norris who secured his first feature race victory on debut in Bahrain, quickly followed by Albon in Baku and Russell in Barcelona.

It was ultimately Russell who finished on top, securing the title by 68 points over Norris, who was seven points clear of Albon. Despite the noise his success created, the Brit remained focused on the present.

“I don’t know how you felt but I wasn’t really thinking about F1 that much,” said Russell to his former F2 rivals. “It was kind of just driving and see what happens…”

“I was only thinking about F1,” Norris replies.

“Yeah, that’s why you didn’t win the championship!” Russell jokes. “Dreams too big. He’s already thinking years ahead! We [Russell and Albon] live in the moment.”

Alex Albon, George Russell and Lando Norris 2018

Formula 2’s top three in 2018

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In fairness, Norris’s thoughts of F1 were justified, having already been identified by McLaren as “the golden boy” (as Russell puts it) and had been lined up for a F1 drive midway through his F2 campaign, pairing Carlos Sainz. Similarly, as a Mercedes junior driver, Russell had been branded a future world champion by many and was set to arrive at Williams in 2019 to race alongside Robert Kubica.

But Albon was racing on more uncertain ground, having been dropped from the Red Bull academy in 2012 begging his way into a F2 drive with DAMS.

“I think going into that year [2018], there was so much hype for both of you,” Albon recalls. “I remember just from someone who wasn’t in that hype. I was like, ‘OK, these boys are clearly big dogs.’ And then Bahrain, you guys qualified first and second – I was third, actually – and I was a little bit like, ‘Ooh, if it starts off like this, this is not good!’”

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Albon quickly made progress, however. After finishing a close third in the F2 standings, he was set to race in Formula E before Toro Rosso came calling and brought him into F1 for the 2019 season. Thirteen races later, Albon leapfrogged both Norris and Russell by being promoted to the front-running Red Bull, replacing the demoted Pierre Gasly. Russell admitted there were some jealous glances.

“Alex just came through like full Randy Orton [American professional wrestler] out of nowhere, straight into Red Bull, and I’m thinking ‘Whoa, what is going on here?’” he says. “I remember the first race getting lapped three times, qualifying three and a half seconds off pole in Australia. It was definitely frustrating.”

Of course it wasn’t a fairytale ending for Albon, whose contract was extended for 2020 — a season where he achieved just two podium finishes. Red Bull replaced him with Sergio Perez the following year, leaving Albon’s F1 dream in tatters.

But upon his return with Williams in 2022, Albon has elevated his F1 status and become one of the grid’s most sought-after young talents – an indication that his time out of the paddock could have been blessing in disguise after all.

“Alex has probably had it hardest,” Norris states. “I don’t think I’ve had it harder,” Albon suggests. “I just think that I’ve been under more pressure for longer.”

Alex Albon Lando Norris 2022

Both facing their own struggles: Albon pursues Norris’s McLaren in 2022

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The careers of Russell and Norris have been steadier and gradually blossomed into stardom.

After three impressive years punching above the performance level of an uncompetitive Williams, Russell was finally given the call to partner Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2022, and quickly delivered on his sterling reputation: he captured seven podiums, a victory in Brazil and fourth in the drivers’ standings – 25 points clear of his new team-mate.

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Equally, Norris showed early promise, scoring 49 points in his rookie campaign before standing on the podium for the first time at the Red Bull Ring in 2020. “Fastest lap, last lap, strategy seven, overtake… That was a cool one,” he recalls. A succession of near misses have followed, with six more podium finishes – two of which coming in 2023 – and a heart-breaking defeat in Sochi where he span out from the lead with just a handful of laps remaining in heavy rain.

Almost four years on from that Formula 2 season, the trio only share one victory between them. But with each of their seats now secured, it’s difficult to imagine that more silverware isn’t on the way.

“I have been a bit frustrated,” said Russell. “But equally until we’re winning it’s sort of the same for everyone.”

“But you’re still happy to be racing in F1?” asks Norris.

“Yeah, you’re grateful for that,” Russell nods. “But then you’re on to the next one, you want more. As we all do now, I guess.”

Subscribers can read the full interview in the October 2023 issue of Motor Sport. Available to purchase in print and digitally

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