The psychological breakthrough behind Russell beating Hamilton in F1 2024 quali 

George Russell places his complete System 1 2024 defeat of former Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in qualifying all the way down to being “psychologically in a very good place”. 

The 26-year-old ended the 2024 season with a 24-6 qualifying file in opposition to Hamilton, with all periods together with those who set the grid for dash occasions considered. 

This compares with their 8-12 and 15-13 data from 2022 (when there have been simply three sprints general and just one qualifying session on every such weekend, therefore the decrease complete) and 2023. 

Hamilton usually struggled to keep up promising observe type throughout his last Mercedes marketing campaign with the troublesome W15, the place Russell additionally led him within the factors standings and every completed the season with two wins apiece. 

This might have been a 3-1 cut up in Russell’s favour however for his Spa on-the-road victory being lost for his car/driver post-race weight total coming in 1.5kg under the minimum allowed in F1’s rules. 

When requested by Autosport why he feels he was so good at qualifying in comparison with Hamilton on the current 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi, Russell replied: “I simply really feel actually assured inside the automobile, assured inside myself.  

George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15

Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photographs

“I really feel psychologically I am in a very good place, particularly with regards to these high-pressure eventualities to get probably the most out of myself.  

“I am not gonna evaluate in opposition to my team-mate, however simply when it comes to my very own private efficiency, I really feel [I’m] driving higher than ever.” 

Russell additionally stated he felt even higher in himself in comparison with the beginning of 2024, when it grew to become clear he can be set to steer Mercedes as Hamilton determined to hitch Ferrari for 2025. 

“Each driver is able to doing nice laps and nice performances, however when the stress’s up and it comes all the way down to that one lap in Q3 – that is the place it comes all the way down to your headspace, actually,” Russell stated of how his psychological feeling had impacted his 2024 outcomes.  

“And I really feel like I’ve discovered quite a bit about myself and how you can get probably the most out of myself. And for everybody it is totally different. However I simply know in myself what works for me.”