Aspiring Australian racer Christian Mansell has detailed how a battle with ADHD and his mental health kept him away from the sport he loved in 2025.<\/p>\n
Mansell was poised to compete in the Formula 2 Championship with Rodin last season, but withdrew for personal reasons just weeks out from the start of the season.<\/p>\n
Christian Mansell reveals ADHD battle<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Christian Mansell became something of a cult figure during his 2024 campaign in Formula 3.<\/p>\n As he emerged as a front-runner in the competition, his persona on social media endeared him to fans.<\/p>\n The Aussie teenager was poised to step up to F2 for 2024, and even completed pre-season with Rodin, before stepping away ahead of the season-opener on home soil in Melbourne.<\/p>\n It was a dramatic decision that took many by surprise, with Mansell now detailing the reasons for his decision to step away from competition.<\/p>\n \u201c2025, what an absolute write off of a year,\u201d he posted on Instagram.<\/p>\n \u201cIn all seriousness this year completely broke me, I\u2019ve never been so tested in all my life. I\u2019ve had to overcome adversities that I never wanted or asked for, and that was so difficult.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year I was diagnosed with ADHD, something that I later found ran my entire life since I was around 6 years old.\u201d<\/p>\n Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a\u00a0neurodevelopmental condition with symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention, a lack of impulse control, organisation, or difficulty focusing.<\/p>\n Once diagnosed, it\u2019s typically managed through strategies or, in some instances, medication.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always felt off, different, too loud, too quiet, zoning out of conversations, unexplainable and unpredictable emotions,\u201d Mansell noted.<\/p>\n \u201cI always liked to think I was an over achiever, so when it came back I was 99% confirmed for both types of ADHD nobody was surprised \ud83d\ude05 It honestly explains everything for me.<\/p>\n \u201cSo with that being said having it undiagnosed for 14 years hasn\u2019t helped me in the slightest.<\/p>\n \u201cMy battle with mental health was something I was loosing grip on and I found myself in a pretty dark place at the start of this year.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I man I was silly and tried to bottle it up (spoiler alert, it doesn\u2019t work).\u201d<\/p>\n While Mansell was absent from competition in 2025, he did manage to get on track at the wheel of a formula car at Pembrey Circuit in Wales.<\/p>\n Set to turn 21 next month, the Australian is poised to resume racing this year.<\/p>\n That brings with it a change in tack as Mansell steps into GT racing with Team Motopark, with which he\u2019ll race in the 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi next week.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat you can take from this is 2026 is a year for me that signifies change,\u201d Mansell added on Instagram.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve changed the way my brain works, I\u2019ve changed my relationship with mental health and have it well within my grasp. And I have a completely different view on life and why it\u2019s so worth living for.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd to the people around me. My family, Gaby, Joe, Seb and Pepe. And all my other friends who I hold close. Thank you infinitely for supporting me in what was my hardest time.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m wishing everyone a happy new year and I can\u2019t wait to welcome 2026. Love you all.\u201d<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n