George Russell never imagined his role leading F1’s drivers’ union would throw him into the middle of racing’s biggest political battles.
“When I signed up, I thought it would be all about racing and safety,” says Russell, who’s been running the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA) since 2021. “I never expected it to be so political.”
He’s now the only active F1 driver in charge, working alongside former racer Alexander Wurz to represent drivers’ interests.
It’s been a busy year. The GPDA recently took the unusual step of writing directly to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem about his leadership style.
The response? Ben Sulayem basically told the drivers to mind their own business.
“I don’t really understand any of this side of the sport,” Russell admits. The 25-year-old Mercedes driver says he’s not really equipped to comment on all the recent FIA changes.
But one thing’s crystal clear – the drivers are united.
“We want transparency,” Russell says. “We want to help the FIA. It’s as simple as that.”
The young Brit stepped into the role after F1 veterans Sebastian Vettel retired and Romain Grosjean left the sport. Now he’s finding himself navigating political waters he never expected to swim in.
It’s a long way from just focusing on racing his Mercedes around tracks at 200 mph. But that’s what leadership sometimes means – dealing with the tough stuff you didn’t see coming.
