Mercedes F1 star Russell in FIA ‘fight’ claim

Photo: © IMAGO

Mercedes F1 star George Russell has spoken out on the drivers’ feelings towards the FIA after their fraught relationship with the sport’s governing body over the past year.

The FIA’s swearing ban in 2024 triggered controversy, prompting the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) – what is essentially a trade union of F1 drivers – to pen an open letter to the FIA asking them to treat the drivers like adults.

Russell has been the director of the GPDA since 2021, and has recently spoken out about how he wants the relationship between the FIA and the drivers to play out.

“I know different sports have different set-ups, and ultimately, at least from my personal standpoint – not one of GPDA – you just want to collectively work with those around you to get the best for everyone,” he said to Motorsport.com.

“We don’t want to fight against the FIA. We don’t want to fight against F1, you want to work together with them, to get the most for them as a sport, the most for them as a regulatory body, and then the most for us as drivers. You want to rise together and fall together. How do you achieve that? That’s another thing.

“It’s been very refreshing having Rui Marques on board as race director. I feel he and [FIA sporting director] Tim Malyon have been exceptionally receptive. They listen and they react, and I think collectively, we’re all substantially happier now with where we are.”
George Russell is a director of the GPDA

Russell speaks out on key F1 issues

Alongside the FIA’s relationship with the F1 grid, Russell also delved deeper on the issue of driver safety, a topic the Brit is incredibly vocal about.

Amid complaints that the Belgian GP was not started in wet conditions, Russell labelled any attempt to race at Spa with poor visibility as ‘stupidity’ and prioritised the safety of drivers.

“I’m not chasing to leave any legacy. That’s never been the intention,” Russell continued regarding his role in the GPDA.

“It’s just that if I see an opportunity to improve something, I want to speak about it, especially if it comes to track safety or car safety.

“In 2012 I was team-mates with Billy Monger [who lost his legs in a British F4 crash in 2017] and had a close relationship with him. Seeing that crash live, and then watching Anthoine [Hubert]’s crash [at Spa 2019 in F2], I was watching that live. It was sickening to watch.

“When you experience things like this with people who you know so well, and you believe you have ideas that can help improve the safety or prevent that from happening, then you naturally want to share it.

“That could have happened to anyone. It could have happened to the greatest driver in the world. That’s just the danger we face. So, I think that’s probably why I wanted to be more involved than not.”