The competition, held in Belgium, France and Finland, is designed to boost the profile of drivers aged between 12 and 14 on an international platform. 

The winner will have the chance to compete in the CIK-FIA World Junior Championship in England in September.

Russell, who started kart racing at the age of eight, said he felt a lot of excitement when he found out he was headed overseas.

“They pick only one or two people from each country to race and I was the only one - and the first -  selected for Australia so it should be exciting,” he said. 

“They (the selectors) looked at my background and what I’ve won and they thought I was good enough to compete.”

To date, the 11-year-old’s proudest achievement was winning every major event in his 2015 season to become joint winner of Karting Victoria’s Karter of the Year in the cadet nine class.

Russell is on the road most weekends either training or competing at the race tracks in Geelong and Puckapunyal – where his kart club Eastern Lions is based.

It was only a few weeks ago he received his latest kart, which can go up to a speed of 120km/h.

“It’s so low to the ground it feels super fast,” he said.

Russell’s long term goals include racing in the Formula One and the V8 Supercars. His idols include Scott McLaughlin, Craig Lowndes and Chaz Mostert.