The sport is littered with intriguing rivalries that often spill off the track but there haꦰs always been a deep respect among the competitors.

Russell is among a younger crop of emerging stars who raced against each other as kids, and whose friendship is now tested by their presence in rival F1 teams.

“Well, firstly, we’re obviously all co꧒mpetitors,” the Mercedes driver told . 

“We’re all highly competitive. I wouldn’t say there are huge rivalrꦏies on the track, but once the helmet’s on, you’re all there competing to beat one another.&nbs🌜p;

“But there’s d꧟efinitely an element of understanding between all of us, whether that’s understanding a person w💛ho’s struggling for performance personally, whether it’s understanding the person who’s struggling in their team and the results aren’t there. 

“Or even understanding the guy who’s winning and the stresses and pressures that com𓆉e🦹 with that.

“One of the most mentally fatiguing moments of my year last year was actually when I won the race in Brazil because there🌱 were so many emotions that I went through during the race, so many emotions after the race, so much attention from the media and the cameras, so much love and support from friends and families and social media. 

“It was almost overwhelming at points and it’s a comp꧋letely diff𝓰erent dynamic. 

“That was quite e💝ye opening for me, the pressures and the mental toll of winning a race. It’s n🗹ot easy.

“✅I think between all the 20 drivers, we get one another: we’re just one of 20, we’re the only ones in this position. 

“We don’t necess🅘arily offer support because the friendships aren’t quite that close, maybe between one or two, but definitely there’s an understanding.”

The 2022 line-up of F1 drivers went out together for a rare moment of togetherness at the end of last season, to celebr༒ate Sebastian 🔯Vettel’s career after his retirement was confirmed.

Lewis Hamilton was credited with organising the dinner - an🧔d paying f🌳or it!