Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton battled with depression for years from an early age as he dealt with the pressure of pursuing a career in motor racing and faced bullying at school.
Hamilton, who has been racing competitively since he was six, says he has also battled with depression as an adult, and has found it difficult to open up about his journey.
The 39-year-old tells The Times: “I think it was the pressure of the racing and struggling at school. The bullying. I had no one to talk to.
“I’ve struggled with mental health through my life, depression from a very early age when I was, like, 13... when I was in my 20s I had some really difficult phases.”
He adds: “You’re learning about things that have been passed down to you from your parents, noticing those patterns, how you react to things, how you can change those.
“So what might have angered me in the past doesn’t anger me today. I am so much more refined.”
The Mercedes driver, who is set to join Ferrari next year, is sixth in the championship, with the next race set for Austin next month.