Director of the GPDA since 2021, George Russell plays an important role in defending the interests of drivers. The Brit reveals that two particularly striking accidents have strengthened his determination to constantly improve safety in Formula 1.
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George Russell does not just drive for Mercedes in Formula 1. Since March 2021, the Brit has also held the role of director within the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), the association responsible for representing the interests of the drivers.
A role that regularly leads him to intervene in debates concerning regulations, safety, and the overall evolution of the sport.
This involvement sometimes causes him to be considered the “politician” of the paddock by some of his colleagues. A reputation that amuses Russell, but behind which lies a much deeper motivation.
Two accidents he witnessed live continue to particularly mark the Mercedes driver: that of Billy Monger in 2017 and the fatal one of Anthoine Hubert at Spa in 2019.
Two accidents that deeply marked Russell
Billy Monger was the victim of a terrible accident during a British Formula 4 race at Donington Park in 2017. The injuries suffered by the young driver required the amputation of both his legs.
Two years later, Anthoine Hubert lost his life at only 22 years old during an accident that occurred during the Formula 2 race at Spa-Francorchamps.
Russell witnessed these two accidents live.
“It comes a lot from two events for me: the accident of Billy Monger and that of Anthoine Hubert, both of which I saw live”, confides George Russell.
“It was horrifying to see.”
These memories partly explain why the Brit takes his role within the GPDA particularly seriously.
“We are the ones who are in the car”
Russell believes that drivers have a unique perspective when it comes to assessing certain dangers.
Engineers, designers, and regulators have significant technical data, but they cannot fully reproduce the experience lived from the cockpit.
“As a driver, you have a unique perspective that the people who write the rules, the designers, and the engineers do not have, simply because we are the ones who are in the car.”
The Mercedes driver therefore considers it his responsibility to make this experience heard when a situation could be improved.
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His role within the GPDA also consists of gathering the sometimes differing opinions of the drivers in order to convey them to the sport’s officials.
“Formula 1 is constantly evolving and the drivers really want to contribute to improving the sport”, he explains.
“Someone ultimately has to gather these different points of view and express them to the right people.”
Russell does not want to eliminate all danger from F1
However, George Russell does not want to turn Formula 1 into a sport completely devoid of risks.
The Brit acknowledges that danger is inherently part of motorsport and believes it would be impossible, but also undesirable, to try to eliminate it entirely.
“Formula 1 will always be a dangerous sport and we should never try to completely eliminate that, because it is part of the game.”
Russell however makes a distinction between the risk inherent to motor racing and dangers that could be avoided through reasonable modifications.
“If there are areas that, in my opinion, can help save lives, make the sport slightly safer when necessary, or avoid unnecessary risks, then I want to make my voice heard.”
“I want to be part of this change”
It is precisely this notion of avoidable risk that guides his involvement within the GPDA.
“When there is an unnecessary risk and something that can be avoided, I want to make my voice heard and take part in this change.”
For several decades, Formula 1 has significantly strengthened its safety standards through the evolution of circuits, cars, and protective equipment.
For Russell, this progress must continue without distorting the competition. And behind his image as the “politician” of the paddock lies a simple conviction: when a danger can reasonably be removed and a life can potentially be saved, drivers must participate in the debate.
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