Mercedes F1 team hires ‘head shrink’

Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team have turned to the sports psychologist credited with helping the All Blacks overcome their reputation as serial World Cup chokers, in a bid to maintain their dominant start to the season.

In a move increasingly in vogue, with Liverpool’s hiring of the renowned Dr Steve Peters helping sustain their challenge for the Premier League, Telegraph Sport has learned Mercedes have enlisted the services of sports psychiatrist Dr Ceri Evans.

Evans, who not only worked with the All Blacks in the run-up to their World Cup triumph in 2011 but is a former captain of New Zealand’s All Whites football team, travelled to the last race in Shanghai to review Mercedes operations.

It is understood he was in the Mercedes garage during qualifying and the race to observe how the engineers and mechanics coped with key pressure moments, such as pit stops.

Evans, 50, reported directly to team boss Toto Wolff after the race weekend with his findings and recommendations. Evans has not had any direct involvement with either Hamilton or Nico Rosberg, who have been almost untouchable on the track so far this season. The Telegraph