Wolff reveals extent of mental health struggles

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has opened up on his struggles with mental health during his career in F1.

The Austrian took over at the helm of Mercedes in 2013 after being involved with the Williams F1 squad for several seasons.

Wolff led Mercedes through an unrivalled period of success, winning a record-breaking eight consecutive constructors' championships from 2014 to 2021.

However, the 52-year-old has declared he has wrestled with his own mental health concerns throughout his life. 

"I have struggled so badly with these things, for months not being able to have a clear thought but I came to the realisation that it comes with a lot of advantages," Wolff told Sky Sports F1.

"I call it a superpower. This is what I want to give people that have mental health issues as a hope.

"I was thinking when I was really bad at times, 'That person hasn't got what I have', and that's why that person can be more successful."

Wolff 'comfort zone' in Mercedes challenge

Wolff has confirmed seeing a psychologist to discuss his life and mental health concerns, revealing he has taken part in many sessions with a professional.

"I always seek help," he stated. "I always asked questions from a very early age. Some of the days were so bad that I found my way to a psychologist.

"There's not a single treatment in a way that I tried from speaking to psychologists, cognitive behavioural therapy because I like to just optimise on how can I solve the problem quickly. 

“I have done probably more than 300 or 350 hours of talking.”

Lately, Mercedes has made steps forward in the pecking order having endured a difficult period on the track, with Wolff describing the challenge as his “comfort zone”.

"The interesting thing is these struggles in real life, when we are not where we are with the car, it doesn't move the needle for me in terms of pain - zero," he said. "Because I have been in much worse.

"This stress is my comfort zone - trying to solve problems, never to give up, even if you have been beaten down a hundred times. In a way, I'm made for these tougher days."