P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Hamilton battle caused psychological F1 ‘shift’
Mercedes F1 driver George Russell shared insights on the mental adjustment he made to compete against seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton when joining the team in 2022.
Despite Hamilton’s legendary status, Russell managed to outperform him in the 2022 season, finishing fourth in the drivers’ standings.
Even in 2024, Russell continued to best Hamilton before the latter moved to Ferrari in pursuit of his eighth world championship victory.
Russell emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong mentality and accepting that beating Hamilton consistently was a monumental challenge.
Looking ahead to the 2025 season, Russell has shown strong performance, claiming a race win and multiple podium finishes, positioning himself well for future championship contention.
