The F1 world championship leader on how he learned to channel youthful frustration at the back of the grid and the mental strength he gains from those closest to him
G
eorge Russell endured a baptism of fire, battling a recalcitrant Williams car at the back end of the grid in his debut Formula One season. Yet the then 21-year-old was perceptive from the off, observing at that season’s British Grand Prix: “In F1 it’s not just about driving, it’s about the whole package.” Seven years later, he believes the package is all but complete, leading the world championship and a strong favourite to go on to win his first title.
He heads into this weekend’s Japanese GP with a win and second place from the first two races and – thanks also to a sprint victory in China – has a four-point advantage over his teenage Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli. With their car thus far the class of the field, Russell has demonstrated the calm, assured control and execution long-promised by his talent. The attitude he takes into his title tilt was fashioned from that time at Williams and later Mercedes.
“When I was younger I was frustrated, I was getting angry, especially when I was at Williams and finishing second to last every weekend,” he says. “I was pissed off. I worked my whole life to get to F1 and now I’m at the back, and doing nothing,” he says. “So I had to work on that, how do I deal with that and I came to the realisation that I just need to focus on my job. I can’t spit my dummy out over something that I can’t control. All I can do is drive as fast as possible and the result will be what the result will be.
