George Russell never anticipated that his role as chairman of the drivers’ union would be so demanding. The 26-year-old Brit has been the head of the organization that defends the interests of various Formula 1 drivers since 2021. In 2024, several drivers clashed with the FIA, leading Russell to increasingly engage in ‘political’ games.
Since the departure of Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean, George Russell is the sole chairman of the so-called GPDA, the drivers’ union within Formula 1. This year, he faced tensions between his colleagues and FIA chairman Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The latter wants to crack down harder on drivers for coarse language. The GPDA responded by asking the FIA to treat its members ‘maturely’, to which Sulayem stated that drivers should not interfere with the way he runs motorsport.
‘Everything revolves around politics’
During the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Russell explained that he was not surprised by all the political games. “When I accepted this position, I never expected that it would be so much work and that it would become so political,” he told Autosport. “I actually don’t understand anything about this side of the sport. It was more from a sporting perspective and a safety perspective that I wanted to contribute. But now it’s all about politics.
“I don’t want to comment too much on the changes within the FIA and the stricter rules for drivers,” he continued. “I’m not well enough educated to judge this. But it should be clear that all drivers are united and have the best interests of the sport at heart. We want transparency and we want to help the FIA wherever we can. It’s as simple as that.”
