When George Russell met Carmen: The chance blind date which led to F1's latest engagement

George Russell

When George met Carmen: The chance blind date which led to F1's latest engagement

The couple met by chance on a blind date

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Monday 10 August 2026 19:30 Updated: 19:55

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When Mercedes F1 star George Russell popped the question to long-term girlfriend Carmen Mundt, it was the culmination of a romance which began in the most unlikely of circumstances.

The couple announced their engagement on Sunday, bringing an outpouring of love and best wishes from the F1 paddock and beyond.

It was an announcement which came just a couple of months after the 28-year-old Russell had spoken in depth about their relationship, and his hope they would one day be married.

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Speaking in early June, he had revealed: "Carmen brings me stability when it comes to racing and also a way to disconnect.

"Without doubt she’s my future. So [I hope we’ll be married] in due course. It won’t be next week, but it won’t be longer than five years. So somewhere in that timeframe."

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Chance first meeting for George and Carmen

Russell did indeed align to that that timeframe when he proposed as F1's summer break got into full swing. But the relationship would not have begun at all were it not for a chance meeting in London six years ago.

Carmen, who had moved to the UK at the age of 18 to begin university studies in the capital, was in her final year when she received a request from a friend which would change her life.

She told Tatler: "It was a Sunday night, and my friend was like, 'I'm dating this guy and he wants to bring his flatmate for a drink. Would you mind coming with us? Because I think it's a little bit awkward.’"

That first meeting was a success - "I thought he was really funny" was Carmen's assessment, and afterwards Russell secured an actual first date, thanks in part to his culinary skills.

Carmen continued: "It’s quite refreshing that someone invites you over to cook for you. I was quite surprised. He made sea bass with roasted vegetables.

"A nice healthy meal, he doesn't drink. I literally got there with my laptop because I had to submit something. It was really chill,"

That meal in Russell's then White City home (these days Russell and Carmen reside like so many F1 couples in the principality of Monaco) laid the foundations for an enduring romance which will now one day lead them to marriage. When it happened though, Mundt still had no idea that her new boyfriend was an F1 driver.

Carmen now lives with George in the principality of Monaco.

Carmen there as Russell career took off

"He mentioned that he was a driver. He wasn't going into details and I wasn't asking many questions. To be fair, I was never into Formula One."

The timing was perfect in many ways for the couple, Carmen has been present for just about all of Russell's blossoming career. From the early days at Williams to leading the way for Mercedes on a contract which reportedly pays him around £30million per year.

"We grew together as a couple," she admitted.

"It's really lucky that we met when we did, because we settled into our life in a really smooth way."

Now, after the marriage of Charles and Alexandra Leclerc earlier this year, and the engagement of Alex Albon and Lily Muni, George and Carmen are the latest F1 power couple to head towards the altar.

They do so with our very best wishes for a very happy life together.