Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: George Russell, Formula 1, Motorsport, FIA
Tom Jenkins
George Russell has opened up on what led him to become GPDA chairman and why he is so vocal about making improvements to the world of Formula 1.
Russell began to spearhead the GPDA during his third season in F1 prior to his promotion from Williams to Mercedes, replacing the retiring Romain Grosjean.
Following Sebastian Vettel's retirement in 2022, Russell became the sole member of the grid on the GPDA, until he was joined by Carlos Sainz earlier this year.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Autosport the Mercedes driver revealed his motivation behind taking the role.
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"I'm not chasing to leave any legacy. That's never been the intention. 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," Russell explained.
The 27-year-old opened up on 'sickening' accidents he has witnessed first-hand throughout his career, and why those experiences pushed him to make a difference to safety in motorsport.
"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.
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"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.
He added: "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."
Russell has been vocally critical of the FIA whilst in his role, notably writing a letter on behalf of all 20 drivers in 2024 to protest against the organisation's treatment of Max Verstappen.
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However, the Brit reiterated his intention is always to work with the FIA rather than against them and praised the arrival of new race director Rui Marques.
He continued: "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, and then the most for us as drivers.
"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."