#flashback fic ref

"From 8 to 28 today!! 🥹 HAPPY BIRTHDAY GR 🩵🎂" - february 15, 2026 📷 @.officialgr63 / instagram

jenson button and sebastian vettel in the paddock on practiceday, britain - july 4, 2008 📷 sutton images / getty

michael schumacher is interviewed about lewis hamilton, among other things, on itv's pre-race show, germany - july 20, 2026

f2 driver mick schumacher presents one of his father's helmets to lewis hamilton after the latter equalled michael's wins record, nurburgring - october 11, 2020 📷 james moy / alamy

"Heard 2016 is back <3" - january 16, 2026 📷 @.officialgr63 / instagram

"George Russell grew up just a couple of hours from the Silverstone circuit, where 164,000 spectators will gather on July 5 for the highlight of the British motor racing calendar, yet his journey to Formula 1 has arguably been the longest of any driver on the grid.⁠ ⁠ From an early age Russell showed extraordinary doggedness. His family pinballed round the country to out-of-the-way, windswept kart circuits, and young George raced in all weathers.⁠ ⁠ As he advanced through the junior ranks, the costs of racing quickly outgrew the family’s funds — '£50,000 a year if you want to compete; £200,000 if you want to win,' he said. His father sold his seed business to give young George’s career a boost, but it still wasn’t enough to cover the £800,000 cost of a Formula 2 season. In the nick of time he was talent-spotted by Mercedes and fast-tracked through its driver development programme. Soon after that doors began opening in quick succession.⁠ ⁠ Like many successful drivers, Russell admits he’s driven by demons — in particular a fear of failure associated with the stopwatch his dad used to time him during kart practice. 'I wasn’t afraid of the kart, or the speed, or the track. I was afraid of that stopwatch,' he wrote recently for the Players’ Tribune. 'I’d drive as fast as I could. I think it was fear that was pushing me. When I finished I’d look up at my dad and know. I’d know.'" - june 1, 2026 📷 @.thetimes / instagram

michael schumacher congratulates newly crowned champion sebastian vettel in parc ferme after the race, brazil - november 25, 2012 📷 andy hone / getty