George Russell intends to trust his instincts to “drive fast” and drag himself back into the Formula One championship fight but admits he is having to change his driving style for the first time in his career.
The British driver has been unable to match his 19-year-old Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the grid’s dominant car, winning just twice to the Italian’s six, cursing his luck while admitting performances have not been where he wants them.
The 28-year-old returns from the sport’s summer break this weekend in Zandvoort 59 points adrift of Antonelli and also nine behind Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
Russell is hoping to use the opportunity for a reset to get his title tilt back on track and has come back with a fresh approach.
“I want to not overthink it, trust in my ability and drive a little more instinctively. That’s maybe what I wasn’t doing before the break,” Russell said.
“I know what I need to achieve probably with my driving style but rather than having it in the forefront of my mind, it’s more in the back of my mind now.
“I’ve had time to rest and think. A few days back in the simulator, I know what I want to achieve but I can keep it in the back of my mind and think about driving fast.
“It’s been a bit of a first in my career, where I’ve needed to change a bit of my driving technique. It has been a learning process for me in how to evolve something because I have never had to make a major change.
“You can argue that’s the beauty or frustration with F1, it changes every year. Cars, tyres etc. It’s not like a tennis player or footballer where you have the same ball or racket year after year so you can continue to work on your strengths or weaknesses.
“Your strengths or weakness change year to year, circuit to circuit based on the car you are given.
“I’m going to go out there, try and drive fast and see where it takes me.”
Russell used the summer shutdown to make a major move in his personal life, getting engaged to his long-term partner Carmen.
Sat alongside his compatriot Lando Norris, Russell admitted he would love his happy news to rub off on track.
“I hope it brings a couple of tenths. Even Lando will be getting engaged if it brings a couple of tenths!” Russell joked.
“Personal life is so important. I’ve been with Carmen for a really long time so I don’t think it changes a huge amount.
“It was a really interesting process designing the ring and stuff. I couldn’t get my words out though, got very nervous when I was on one knee.”
Norris won the last race before the summer shutdown in Hungary but remains 91 points adrift in the defence of his title.
