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George Russell told his dad important instruction right after signing Mercedes deal

Mercedes star George Russell has revealed the complex relationship he had with his father as a youngster and just what he told him after signing on with the Silver Arrows

[George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team looks on during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit]

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George Russell has opened up on his relationship with his father, Steve(Image: Clive Rose, Getty Images)

Mercedes star George Russell has spoken about the relationship he shared with his father during his rise to Formula 1 stardom. Unlike fellow racers Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, whose fathers have been heavily involved in their racing careers, Russell made a conscious decision to redefine his relationship with his dad upon joining the Silver Arrows.

Russell's father, Steve, played a pivotal role in his early career, including from a financial perspective. But when George signed with Mercedes at 17, he asked his dad to step back and support him solely as a parent.

This marked a departure from the likes of Anthony Hamilton, who managed Lewis until 2010 and continues to be vocal about his son's career, and Jos Verstappen, known for his outspoken advocacy and influence on Max's development.

Now 27, Russell has reshaped his bond with his father into a more traditional father-son relationship, with his parents choosing to remain out of the spotlight, allowing the Mercedes star to steer his own path in the high-octane world of Formula 1, reports the Express.

Reflecting on his father's impact on his career on the UNTAPPED podcast, Russell said: "He did everything and he is watching me grow as a kid or as a teenager, and he's putting everything on the line, and it was only when I signed on at Mercedes at 17 he was handing the baton over and we had a really great chat when this happened.

"I sort of told him my views that I wanted him to be there as my father and not really anything further.

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

[George Russell with Steve and Alison Russell]

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George Russell has a good relationship with parents, Steve and Alison(Image: Getty)

The Formula 1 star admitted that things between him and his dad are "much better" now but reflected on the tough-love approach his father took during his early years. "My father was so hard on me," Russell added.

"I always felt that I wasn't good enough for my father. When we used to do karting, there was no real data analysis, we didn't even have lap-times on practice days, it was my father with a stop-watch.

"And I learned after about five years that he would always time me late so my lap-times looked slower than reality. He would always do that so I didn't get too full of myself or too overly confident and that was such an amazing, important lesson for me."

Growing up, Russell often went long periods without seeing much of his father due to his work schedule, only really spending time together on race weekends. He said: "As a young kid I'm thinking I don't see my father and when I do he's screaming, shouting and upset with me and I feel like I'm letting him down.

[Toto Wolff and George Russell talk]

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Toto Wolff and Russell are yet to agree a new deal(Image: Getty)

"That was really tough, but when I was about seventeen years old I realised, not just the financial investment which is one thing, it's the investment in time that he put into me. He had to work his a*** off to give me that opportunity."

Russell has faced an uncertain future of late with constant rumours that Verstappen could swoop in to take his seat at Mercedes. However, his fears were allayed when Vertsappen announced he would be staying at Red Bull for the 2026 season, with Russell now set to sign a new contract with his current team.

However, speaking to Sky Sports, Russell played down the urgency, saying: "I'm going straight on holiday, I'm going to do 10 days off. He [Wolff] has got nothing to be worried about, I've got nothing to be worried about.

"Nothing is going to happen in the summer because I want to have a rest, recharge and come back stronger for the second half of the year."

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