George Russell, 24-year-old Mercedes driver from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, drove brilliantly through the gloom of Sao Paulo, Brazil, to become only the fourth British grand prix winner this century.

From pole, and in command throughout, he beat his team-mate Lewis Hamilton into second place – a result that almost certainly condemns the seven-time world champion, who duelled and diced and rowed with Max Verstappen, to miss out on victory during a season for the first time in his career.

But to Russell, who won the sprint race on Saturday too, the plaudits for a faultless display that delivered what he deserved when he deputised for a Covid-stricken Hamilton in Bahrain two years ago. He ‘won’ that race in the desert twice over, only for a puncture to pierce his dreams.

Not yesterday, when his bravery and mastery marked him out as a future world champion. ‘I need some tissues. I’m crying, boys and girls,’ he exclaimed.

It has been a hard slog this season for Mercedes – and a tireless recovery to this success – but Russell has played the part of heir presumptive to perfection. He has not tried to over-promote himself in his first year at the team, showing deference to Hamilton at every utterance, knowing that someday when Lewis retires, the kingdom will be his.

Even now, with only Abu Dhabi next week remaining of the 2022 calendar, Russell leads his exalted senior partner by 23 points, a cherry on the cake of becoming the only Briton not called LCD Hamilton to win a race since Jenson Button on the same track 10 years ago. David Coulthard is our only other victor of the past two decades.

Russell, a Mercedes academy protégé who spent three impressive years at Williams, said thoughts of his family and their sacrifices they made for him came rushing into his head, and tear ducts, at his moment of triumph.

It was all so well accomplished from the second he was very smartly away at the start and held the lead over Hamilton, starting second, comfortably into the opening corner. The eventual winner had already opened up a calming advantage when just what he didn’t want to happen, happened: the safety car was introduced. That was because McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen collided going into Turn 9.

The safety car retreated on lap six and Russell was again straight into his stride. Hamilton’s restart was relatively ordinary and Verstappen was immediately right on his case. The two clipped each other at the Senna Esses, a few bits of debris sent into the air.

A season’s aggro – from last year’s bitter fight for the title – went into the coming together.

‘That was no racing incident, mate,’ complained Hamilton.

‘He left me no space,’ countered Verstappen, as his own counsel for the defence.

The stewards’ judgment soon came in and Verstappen was handed a five-second penalty.

You could argue that Hamilton might have allowed his Dutch thorn a little more elbow room on the inside of that second bend, but, at the same time, there was a whiff of ‘I’m coming through regardless,’ on Max’s part.

Would the double world champion have pressed his claims so assiduously had it not been Hamilton with whom he was wrestling?

Afterwards, Hamilton observed wryly: ‘What can I say? You know how it is with Max.’

Anyway, Hamilton carried on without needing to pit, but plummeted to eighth.

Verstappen stopped for a new wing and emerged down the field, his hopes of a record-extending 15th victory of the season needing to wait a week. He finished sixth after refusing an instruction to let Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez through.

Verstappen was still furious with Hamilton afterwards, saying: ‘I thought we could forget these things after last year and finally race. He had zero intention of giving me any space. If you ask if I would do it again, absolutely.’

Back to the front: where Russell was re-shod after 24 laps to cede Hamilton the lead until his own stop five laps later.

‘It’s getting quite dark out here,’ mused Hamilton. ‘Is there rain incoming?’

The clouds shrouding the tops of the high-rises in the semi-distance beyond the Interlagos track, offered Hamilton the best hope of staging one of his periodic miracles.

Another chance arrived for him when Norris conked out with some 20 laps remaining. The safety car was again deployed. ‘Are we racing or securing the one-two?’ asked Russell of the rules for the impending restart. ‘We’re racing,’ came the response. ‘Just be respectful.’

No problems for Russell. He made the cleaner escape. Another threat swatted away, en route to victory at the 81stattempt by 1.5sec over the great Hamilton, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz third.

It was George’s Day.

Relive Sportsmail's live blog as the Formula One season continued at the Brazilian Grand Prix.