GEORGE RUSSELL, Britain’s newest Formula One recruit, revealed that his mother swore and his father was left on the brink of tears when he told them he had been hired by Williams.

The 20-year-old from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, will join Lewis Hamilton and McLaren rookie Lando Norris as the third British driver on the grid next season after signing a multi-year contract.

The highly rated Russell, already on the books at Mercedes and on the verge of winning the feeder championship to F1, Formula Two, learned of the news during a 20-minute meeting with Claire Williams, deputy team principal for the British constructor, at last month’s Russian Grand Prix.