Mercedes Formula 1 driver George Russell has publicly discussed the challenges he faced growing up, including the strict approach of his father, Steve Russell. In a significant personal milestone, Russell has fully repaid the £1.5 million his parents invested in his early racing career, a sum his father raised by selling his seed and pulse business to fund George’s path to F1.
Russell, now 27, is enjoying one of his best seasons in Formula 1. His impressive form culminated in a victory at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix in June, marking his fourth career win. Amid this success, he is on the verge of signing a new multi-year deal with Mercedes, extending his contract until at least 2027.
Reflecting on his Father’s Tough Love and Its Impact
Russell has opened up about the difficult relationship with his father during his formative years in racing. Growing up in King’s Lynn, his father pushed him hard, often providing deliberately misleading information to keep his ego in check. During karting practice sessions, Steve would give false lap times that made Russell believe he was slower than he really was.
Russell explained in the Untapped podcast that as a child, he was confused because he consistently qualified on pole and won races, despite his practice times suggesting otherwise. He said,
“I didn’t know any different, to be honest, because I jumped in and I was winning races and I was fast.”
However, he added,
“I probably didn’t know because my father was so hard on me. I always felt that I wasn’t good enough for my father.”
He went on to describe how he only discovered after about five years that his father’s stopwatch times during practice were intentionally late, making him appear slower than his competitors.
“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.”
Russell recounted the emotional strain of his childhood, spending weekdays without seeing his father, who worked long hours before returning in the evenings. Weeks often ended with weekend race travels, where the pressure was intense and sometimes met with anger and disappointment if performance faltered.
“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,”
Russell said.
He acknowledged only at age 17 that the sacrifices extended beyond finances.
“He had to work his a**e off to give me that opportunity,”
Russell noted, reflecting on the immense time and effort his father invested.
“Ultimately, those years from the age of seven to 13 shaped me as a person and I have him to thank for that.”
Transitioning to a New Dynamic as Father and Son
Since joining the Mercedes junior program at 17, Russell has shifted the nature of his relationship with his father. He explained that while Steve had previously filled multiple roles—mentor, investor, mechanic, and motivator—those responsibilities changed as Russell advanced in his career. Now, their relationship focuses more on their bond as father and son.
Russell shared,
“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. He was everything.”
He described a sense of passing the torch when signing with Mercedes, telling his father,
“I wanted him to be there as my father and not really anything further.”
This understanding led to the Russells stepping back from the racing spotlight, attending events quietly and avoiding media attention.
He recounted,
“They don’t want to take any spotlight or presence or interviews. They just want to be there as my parents.”
—George Russell, Mercedes Driver
Implications for Russell’s Career and Personal Growth
Having repaid the substantial debt to his parents, Russell’s journey illustrates both the profound sacrifices made by his family and his determination to succeed at the highest level of motorsport. The financial and emotional investment by his father and parents played a pivotal role in his development as a driver and as a person.
With a new Mercedes contract looming, Russell is positioned to continue his ascent within Formula 1, backed by a renewed family relationship and a sense of closure regarding the early financial burden he once relied upon.
