Alumni news: Russell dominates Canadian Grand Prix, graduates on the Le Mans podium

Alumni news: Russell dominates Canadian Grand Prix, graduates on the Le Mans podium

16 June 2025

2014 BRDC F4 champion George Russell was the dominant winner of last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, with the Mercedes driver claiming pole position, setting the fastest lap and leading 43 laps of the 70 lap contest.

The British driver's fourth F1 win was perhaps his most impressive yet, leading comfortably from pole and building a gap that put him out of DRS reach from behind early on. 

Russell's pace allowed him to cover immediate rival Max Verstappen's pit strategy, and as such, was also able to pit later than his rivals, giving him fresher tyres for the final stint, although the race finished under the safety car following Lando Norris' retirement after a collision with teammate Oscar Piastri. 

Victory moves Russell to within 20 points of reigning champion Verstappen, who sits third in the championship standings. Russell now has five podiums from the first 10 races of the season. 

At the Le Mans 24 Hours, eight GB3 graduates were in action, with Nico Varrone the top finisher in 14th for the Proton Competition team in a Porsche 963, finishing ahead of the Aston Martin Valkyrie piloted by Ross Gunn and Tom Gamble. All three drivers were competing in the top Hypercar category. 

2019 BRDC British F3 champion Clement Novalak was fifth in the LMP2 class, and was second in the LMP2 Pro-Am division, two places ahead of Pietro Fittipaldi. 

Charlie Eastwood meanwhile, claimed a class podium in the LMGT3 class, finishing third driving a Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

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