George Russell has revealed that he has worked with a sports psychologist since 2020 as part of his efforts to maximise his Formula 1 performance, manage the pressure of race weekends and maintain his confidence through difficult periods. The Mercedes driver is facing a particularly demanding 2026 season after beginning the year with ambitions of challenging for his first Formula 1 world title.
Reliability problems have compromised several of George Russell’s weekends, while the internal Mercedes battle has also become increasingly difficult. Kimi Antonelli currently leads his British team-mate by 59 points in the Drivers’ Championship, adding another layer of pressure as Mercedes simultaneously tries to keep Ferrari behind in the fight at the front.
George Russell has worked with a sports psychologist since 2020
George Russell explained that his relationship with a sports psychologist began in 2020. The objective was never simply to help him through difficult moments, but to find ways of extracting more from himself and from the people around him.
The work includes learning how to deal with the intensity of a Formula 1 weekend and how to manage energy across an entire season. Those details become particularly important when a driver is dealing with both an internal rivalry and the pressure of a championship battle.
“I’ve been working with a sports psychologist since 2020,” George Russell told RN365. “This was more to help me get the most out of myself, but also out of the people I work with, how to best manage the pressures of a race weekend or how to best manage my energy over the course of a season.”
That challenge has become more significant in 2026, with Kimi Antonelli establishing himself at the top of the championship. Toto Wolff has nevertheless resisted describing the Italian as the clear favourite despite his advantage, with the Mercedes team principal remaining cautious about Kimi Antonelli’s championship position.
Psychological support is not only for difficult moments
George Russell stressed that his sessions are not necessarily designed specifically for the hardest periods of his career, although they can prove particularly valuable when circumstances become more challenging.
That has obvious relevance during a season in which technical disappointments have combined with the need to recover ground to Kimi Antonelli while Mercedes also faces increasing pressure from Ferrari. The team’s missed opportunities have been substantial, with deputy team principal Bradley Lord estimating that Mercedes has left around 100 points on the table through reliability and race-management problems.
George Russell also considers himself fortunate to have a strong personal support network around him, including his girlfriend and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
“It’s not necessarily to help in the really difficult moments. It’s a great help, but I’m very fortunate to have a great group of people close to me. My girlfriend, Toto. These people have supported me.”
George Russell uses past success to rebuild confidence
The psychological work also helps George Russell remind himself of what he has already achieved during his career. Looking back at previous successes allows him to reinforce the belief that his underlying ability has not disappeared simply because results or circumstances are going against him.
“That helps, but it also helps to remind yourself what you’re capable of. When I think about my career, I think about my successes; I remember what I can do. That gives me belief and confidence.”
That confidence will be increasingly important as the championship enters its second half. George Russell not only has ground to recover against Kimi Antonelli, whose advantage can be followed in the Formula 1 driver standings, but also has a role to play in Mercedes’ battle to maintain its advantage over an increasingly competitive Ferrari.
For George Russell, sports psychology is therefore not simply a response to pressure or disappointment. It forms part of a long-term performance programme designed to manage energy, improve communication, reinforce confidence and ensure he can continue extracting the maximum from himself when the demands of Formula 1 are at their highest.
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