Jim Russell is an English former racing driver and founder of the Jim Russell Racing Driver School.

Early life

Russell was born and lived most of his life in Downham Market

Downham Market

Downham Market is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It lies on the edge of the Fens, on the River Great Ouse, some 20 km south of the town of King's Lynn, 60 km west of the city of Norwich and the same distance north of the city of Cambridge....

, Norfolk

Norfolk

Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...

. After serving with the RAF, he became a garage owner, aided by his brother Peter.

Racing career

Russell's driving career began at the age of 32, when a friend invited him to go to Snetterton.

Starting with a 500cc Cooper

Cooper Car Company

The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946...

, Russell progressed to Formula Three

Formula Three

Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...

 and Formula Two

Formula Two

Formula Two, abbreviated to F2, is a type of open wheel formula racing. It was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but the FIA announced in 2008 that Formula Two would return for 2009 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship...

. Between 1953 and 1959 he won 64 Formula Three, 11 Formula Two and 6 sports car

Sports car racing

Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....

 races. He won the British Formula Three Championship

British Formula Three Championship

The British Formula Three Championship is an international motor racing series that takes place primarily in the United Kingdom with a small number of events in mainland Europe. It is a junior-level feeder formula that uses small single seater Formula Three chassis. Its current official title is...

 for three successive years from 1955 to 1957.

Racing driver school

In 1956, Russell set up the first motor racing school at Snetterton. It was very successful and the Jim Russell Racing Driver Schools have played a role in the development of many young drivers including Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...

, Danny Sullivan

Danny Sullivan

Daniel John "Danny" Sullivan III is a former racing driver from the United States. He is best known for winning the 1985 Indianapolis 500.-Before racing:...

 and Tiff Needell

Tiff Needell

Timothy "Tiff" Needell isa British racing driver and television presenter. He is best known as a former co-presenter of Top Gear and current co-presenter of Fifth Gear.-Biography:...

.

In 1966, Russell was responsible for the cars and much of the action in John Frankenheimer's

John Frankenheimer

John Michael Frankenheimer was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films...

 film, Grand Prix.