George Russell says the Formula 1 drivers are waiting to see action taken rather than statements made after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said he is willing to consider changes relating to driver conduct.
Strict penalties for competitors for incidents such as swearing are outlined in Appendix B of the International Sporting Code, and have proven controversial since they were tightened, culminating with the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA) writing an open letter calling for Ben Sulayem to treat them like adults last November.
Russell, who is a GPDA director, was frustrated by a lack of a response to the letter at the time, and despite Ben Sulayem this week saying he is considering changes to Appendix B “following constructive feedback from drivers across our seven FIA World Championships”, he is not yet convinced there will be improvements made.
“Conceptually, yes [it’s a positive step], but obviously we want to see these things put into action rather than saying ‘we’re considering things’,” Russell said. “We all consider a lot of things. We’re clear we want changes and once they are implemented then we’ll comment. But for the time being, it’s being considered. So those words don’t mean anything until the change has been made.”
Russell claims there have been no direct discussions between the GPDA and Ben Sulayem since the open letter was sent in November, and that the Instagram statement from Ben Sulayem that referenced all World Championships came as a surprise to the F1 drivers.
“In short, yes [it was news to the drivers],” he said. “I mean, collectively we’ve not spoken any further since the open letter that was sent out. So whether that is the response – I’m not too sure. As I said, it’ll be great if changes were made and the drivers were at least heard. I think it’s just in the best interest for the sport and ensuring that some common sense is applied to these situations.
“As I said, I think all of us, we can comment on it when we see the action being taken rather than just the consideration.”
Russell suggested that more face-to-face meetings between the drivers and the governing body could be beneficial to help secure progress on important topics.
“I feel it’s like unprecedented times we’ve been in over the last 18 months with what’s been changed and what’s happening,” he said. “When the GPDA was founded years ago, it wasn’t really to talk about politics – it was to talk about safety, improvements of the sport, improvements of the racing.
“Especially myself – I find myself talking about topics that I didn’t really have any intention of talking about. But we find ourselves in a time where we’re not focused on the things why we’re all here.
“We’re here to go racing, we’re here to create the best show for the fans, to have the fastest cars, the safest cars, the best technology, the best engineering – and yet we talk about fines and punishments and swearing. So maybe something should change. We’re open to it, but we just ultimately want the best for the sport.”
Lewis Hamilton backed-up Russell’s point, saying the GPDA should be involved through a consistent presence in specific meetings relating to the sport’s governance.
“I think ultimately the GPDA is very unified,” Hamilton said. “Ultimately we want to be able to work closely with the FIA. I think everyone – all of us – want to work together and make the sport better. Of course, we’ve faced a bit of an uphill challenge in that communication over time.
“Ultimately, we don’t hold a power seat at the table, and that needs to change, in my opinion. If you look at other sports that have unions, that may be something that comes into play at some stage.
“As I said, we don’t want to control things – we just want to collaborate more and have our voices heard. Ultimately, if people are making decisions for others who have never been in that position, it’s good to have the point of view from the driver’s perspective, and that’s all we try to give.”
