The past months have been challenging for the drivers, not only on track with a packed calendar but also off it, especially for the GPDA. More than ever, the drivers’ association has made its voice heard, even responding to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
The association now represents all 20 drivers, with George Russell as spokesperson. He took over the GPDA leadership in 2021, replacing Romain Grosjean after the Frenchman left F1 in 2020. Russell shared the role with Sebastian Vettel for two years, but after Vettel announced his retirement at the end of 2022, Russell assumed sole leadership, though he still works alongside Alex Wurz, an important figure in the association.
During his tenure at the helm of the GPDA, George Russell has faced tense moments, such as the near-strike by drivers following the missile attack at the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. However, it is in recent months that certain issues have drawn greater attention to the association and its demands.
In November, the GPDA published a letter in which the drivers asked the FIA to treat them as “adults” after Mohammed Ben Sulayem caused controversy by sanctioning the use of foul language during press conferences. The drivers did not respond positively to this stance, although it gained support from some figures, such as Toto Wolff, who suggested even stricter penalties. Additionally, in the same letter, the drivers called for greater transparency in how the fines’ proceeds were managed by the governing body.
George Russell expressed shock at not receiving any response from the FIA. Meanwhile, Mohammed Ben Sulayem addressed the drivers’ statements in an interview with Motorsport.com, dismissing their concerns, stating, “It’s none of their business” how the Federation is managed.
George Russell was asked to share his opinion on how the FIA handled recent events, especially given that the governing body plans to entrust ethics and compliance matters directly to Ben Sulayem and the Senate. The Mercedes driver emphasized that when he took on the role of GPDA director, he never anticipated dealing with so many political issues.
On-track matters, such as managing relationships with the race director or resolving technical problems, are one thing. Dealing with the Federation on matters that go beyond the sport itself is another entirely. “When I took on the role of GPDA director, I never expected to have so much involvement with politics,” Russell told several media outlets, including Motorsport.com.
“I don’t understand anything about this aspect of the sport. I wanted to be involved from a sporting and safety perspective. But now, it feels like it’s all about the politics of this sport. I don’t want to comment too much [on the FIA’s compliance system changes] because I don’t know enough to make assumptions.”
“But I think what has come to light is that we only want what’s best for the sport. We want transparency. We want to help the FIA, and it’s really that simple.”
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