George Russell faced a significant psychological challenge when he joined Mercedes in 2022, tasked with competing against the seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton. The 27-year-old driver’s journey to prepare mentally for this high-pressure environment involved extensive support from a psychologist, which proved crucial in helping him handle the intense expectations within the Mercedes team.
Russell and Hamilton raced side by side at Mercedes for three seasons until Hamilton unexpectedly moved to Ferrari in 2025. Coming off a dominant championship streak and recent runner-up finish in 2021, Hamilton was a formidable competitor, causing Russell moments of doubt and pressure as he sought to establish himself at the British team.
Adjusting to the Leap: Russell’s Mental Preparation for Racing Hamilton
Reflecting on his promotion to Mercedes, Russell described the experience as an overwhelming leap rather than a gradual step forward. Before joining Mercedes’ Brackley factory, he believed in his ability to compete at the highest level but had not yet encountered the reality of challenging one of the sport’s all-time greats.
“It was a huge day, because it felt like, this climbing the ladder, this didn’t feel like one step up. It felt like I took three steps in one go. And over those coming months before I started the season with Mercedes, I was thinking like, I believe in myself, I believe I can beat anybody, but the truth is, you don’t know until you go up against the best ever.”
—George Russell, Untapped podcast
Russell admitted that much of his initial focus was on managing the psychological pressure that came with directly competing against Hamilton. After a pivotal conversation with his psychologist, he gained clarity about separating his own performance from the immense stature of his teammate.
“I was thinking about how I’m going to deal with this psychologically, until I had a really good conversation with my psychologist about it, and concluded that when I walk into the garage, I’m jumping into my race car, I’m putting my helmet on, I’m putting my visor down. It should not matter if my teammate on the garage next door is a seven time World Champion, or if he’s a rookie, because I’m in control of my own destiny.”
—George Russell
Russell’s Breakthrough Season Outshining a Champion
In his rookie year at Mercedes, Russell quickly proved himself by outperforming Hamilton, finishing fourth in the championship standings while Hamilton lagged behind in sixth, 35 points adrift. This accomplishment was all the more remarkable given Hamilton’s extensive experience and prior success with the team.
Russell maintained a cautious mindset about his ability to surpass Hamilton, acknowledging the difficulty but also recognizing the opportunity for a significant personal triumph.
“And finally, taking acceptance that if I were to finish ahead of Lewis in a season… I think my stats against previous teammates were I finished ahead of them like 95 per cent of the time. I concluded, well, if I beat Lewis in a season, that’s going to be an amazing achievement, but I’m not going to beat him 95 per cent.”
—George Russell
He managed to repeat his edge over Hamilton during the latter’s last season at Mercedes in 2024, solidifying his status as the team’s rising talent as Hamilton’s career entered a transitional phase. Following Hamilton’s departure, Russell stepped up as Mercedes’ lead driver and began mentoring the team’s new rookie, Kimi Antonelli, guiding him through his early Formula 1 experience.
Challenges Ahead for Mercedes as Russell Leads the Team
Despite Russell’s personal successes, Mercedes has faced a challenging season, struggling to regain its competitive form in the fiercely contested Formula 1 grid. The team is dedicating efforts to recover from its performance slump, with the upcoming ten races crucial to determining how quickly it can improve.
Russell’s psychological growth, bolstered by professional guidance, illustrates the intense mental demands drivers face when competing at the highest level against legends like Lewis Hamilton. His journey underscores the importance of mental resilience alongside physical skill in Formula 1.