George Russell Launches Karting Academy with 25 Fully Funded Places

Formula 1 driver George Russell has launched the GR63 Karting Academy at Silverstone, a programme designed to give young drivers a route into motorsport whatever their family's budget. The academy will take 25 drivers into a fully funded championship next year, with the overall winner earning a fully funded karting season in 2028.

Karting is the proven first step towards professional motorsport, but the cost of equipment, race entries and travel can shut families out long before talent becomes the deciding factor. The academy says it is designed to make karting accessible to "talented youngsters whose families may not have the budget required to progress through the sport", keeping the cost of its opening stages low and removing entry fees entirely for those who reach the championship.

Drivers must be at least eight years old on 11 December 2026 and no older than nine on 11 December 2027, hold Commonwealth nationality, and must not have competed in the MSUK British Karting Championships or above. Entry begins with Arrive and Drive qualifying sessions at Kart Silverstone between 6 and 31 December 2026: a 15-minute session costs £25, and the 80 fastest drivers go through to a shootout on 31 January 2027, where a £75 entry fee covers a day of practice and qualifying races to decide the final 25.

From that point, the entry fees stop. The 25 championship drivers take part in the eight-round GR63 Championship, running at Silverstone on circuit configurations chosen by Russell from March to November 2027, and each receives a full set of academy kit including overalls, helmet, gloves and boots. The academy does not say whether other expenses, such as travel to the rounds, are covered, so families may still have some costs. The top five finishers then go head-to-head in a final assessment of lap times, race craft, fitness and media skills, with the winner's 2028 season paid for in full.

Russell, who began his own career in karting in Norfolk, said: "Karting is where it all started for me, and it taught me everything I've relied on throughout my career. I know how hard it is for talented young drivers to get that first opportunity, especially when budgets are tight. With the GR63 Karting Academy, I want to give something back by finding those hidden talents and giving them the support and platform they need to reach their potential."

The academy is backed by the British Racing Drivers' Club, which owns Silverstone. Its president, former F1 driver David Coulthard, said the programme captures the club's commitment to reinvesting in the sport and nurturing home-grown talent.

To enter, book a Junior Racer Open Laps session at Kart Silverstone between 6 and 31 December 2026 using the code KSGR635. Full details are on the GR63 Academy page at kart.silverstone.co.uk.