Russell reveals father’s harsh lessons that shaped his F1 journey

In the ultra-competitive world of Formula 1, where confidence and precision define success, Mercedes driver George Russell has opened up about the unconventional methods his father employed to shape him during his formative years in karting.

The 27-year-old Briton, now a four-time Grand Prix winner and a cornerstone of the Mercedes team, revealed that his father deliberately mistimed his lap times during practice sessions to keep him grounded, fostering a lingering sense of inadequacy that both challenged and molded the young driver.

Russell’s karting days were defined by a whirlwind of victories and a father who demanded excellence – not unlike Jos Verstappen, the father of four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

A Father’s Unorthodox Tactics

“I didn’t know any different, to be honest, because I jumped in and I was winning races and I was fast,” Russell explained on the Untapped podcast when asked how quickly he realized he had a gift.

“I probably didn’t know because my father was so hard on me. So I always felt that I wasn’t good enough for my father. When I used to do go-karting, at the time, there was no real data analysis. We didn’t even have lap times on practice days. It was literally my father with a stopwatch.”

Looking back, Russell described how the discrepancy between practice and race performance both confused and motivated him.

“I learned after about five years that he would always time me late, so my lap times looked slower than reality,” he recalled. “He would tell me the lap times of the other drivers on practice days, and I always thought I was slow.

“Then I got to the races and I was qualifying on pole and winning races, and I was so confused as a kid. I’d think, 'I’m always slow on these practice days, but then I get to the races and I win. Why is that?'”

Lessons in Discipline and Sacrifice

Russell credits this early tough love with instilling resilience and humility.

“I realised over time that he would always do that just so I didn’t get too full of myself or overly confident, and that was such an amazing, important lesson for me,” he said.

He also opened up about the personal sacrifices his father made to support his budding career, often leaving before Russell woke up and returning late in the evening.

“He’d leave before I woke up to go to school, wouldn’t be back until eight or nine in the evening, and I’d already be in bed. So, I wouldn’t see my father during the week,” he explained.

“We’d then jump in the van on a Friday night and go up and down the country, and if the race weekend wasn’t good, he’d be screaming and shouting and really pushing me hard.

• Read also: Russell repays $2M to the man who made his F1 dream happen

“As a young kid, I was thinking, 'I don’t see my father, and when I do see him, he’s upset with me and I feel like I’m letting him down.' That was really tough.

“But it’s only when I was about 17 years old that I recognised, not just the financial investment, which is one thing, but the investment in time that he put into me.

“He had to work his arse off to give me that opportunity. And then whenever he had a spare moment, he was taking me here, there, and everywhere.

“I can only imagine the pressure and stress he must have been under himself. Ultimately, those years from the age of seven to 13 shaped me as a person, and I have him to thank for that.”

From Mentor to Father

The shift in the relationship between Steve Russell and his son came when the young hopeful joined Mercedes junior programme at 17, allowing his father to step back from the professional aspects of his career.

“It’s much better, and he’s there as a father as opposed to, at the time, being a mentor, a mechanic, the driver up and down the country, the investor,” Russell explained.

“He was everything. And, of course, he was watching me grow as a kid and a teenager, wanting to give me this opportunity and putting everything on the line for it.

“It was only when I signed with Mercedes at 17 that it almost looked like he was handing the baton over. We had a really great chat when this happened, and I told him my views - that I wanted him to be there as my father and not really anything further.

Today, Russell’s parents take a backseat at races, choosing to support quietly without seeking the spotlight.

“That’s why, when they come to the races, they’re not standing there in front of the television,” he said. “They’re keeping to themselves. They don’t want to take any spotlight or presence or interviews. They just want to be there as my parents.”

This evolution reflects a mutual understanding and respect, allowing Russell to honor his father’s sacrifices while forging his own path in life.

The tough love of his karting years, once a source of confusion and doubt, now stands as a testament to the resilience and humility that define George Russell’s journey to the top.

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