Mercedes driver George Russell has described how a chat with tennis great Novak Djokovic has inspired his thinking as he prospectively pursues an opportunity at the Formula 1 World Championship when that opportunity does present itself. Appearing on the Untapped podcast, the Briton spoke about the long term performance planning, which was inspired in his youth with Djokovic.
What did Novak Djokovic say to George Russell?
Djokovic told Russell that he became resistant to the thought of taking days as a pro in his 20s, even though his body told him he should, and that it is this mental training that has helped him to perform at the highest levels into his late 30s. Russell said that he hopes that he still has had an effect on the sport well into his 40s, with an example of a current driver, Fernando Alonso, still racing at the highest level entering his mid 40s.
He even mentioned Michael Schumacher who only won his first title with Ferrari at the age of 32 years, a sign that one can still be successful late in the career. Although Mercedes does not exactly show the fastest cars atm Russell says that in a few years time they may do and he does not want to be caught unawares by the universe so to speak.
George Russell and 2025 season so far
As a 27 year old, Russell is serious about laying the root of a longstanding future. He pointed out that F1 is probably physically less intense than tennis but much of the discipline and preparation is the same. Currently trying to find a place in the field of an impressive group of drivers, Russell is sure his time will come provided he continues to be prepared and focused. At the moment, Russell and Mercedes are fourth in the Drivers and Constructors Rankings, so their emphasis is to remain competitive in the second part of the season. The career path of Djokovic is guided by the wisdom of experience and complemented by the example of Alonso and the mature route of a champion like Schumacher and outlines his desire to be a competitor, not only in the short run, but as well in the long run as well.
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