George Russell Speaks Out on F1 Safety: “Sickening” Crashes Drive His Advocacy

George Russell has revealed the emotional reasons behind his push for safety reforms in Formula 1. Speaking to Motorsport.com, the Mercedes driver said witnessing horrific crashes involving close friends and fellow racers made him determined to improve conditions for all drivers.

“I’m not chasing legacy,” Russell said. “But if I see an opportunity to improve something, especially safety, I want to speak about it.”

He recalled watching Billy Monger’s crash in British F4 and Anthoine Hubert’s fatal accident at Spa in 2019. “It was sickening to watch,” he said. “When you experience things like this with people you know, you want to help prevent it from happening again.”

GPDA Leadership and Growing Unity

Russell joined the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) in 2021, replacing Romain Grosjean. After Sebastian Vettel’s retirement, he was the only active member until Carlos Sainz joined earlier this year. Russell now works alongside chairman Alexander Wurz and legal advisor Anastasia Fowle.

He believes the current generation of drivers is more united than ever, especially in the Netflix Drive to Survive era. “We’ve grown closer and share similar views,” he said. “The porpoising issues in 2022 gave us real topics to tackle together.”

FIA Tensions and Call for Collaboration

Russell has been critical of FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem’s leadership, especially after the GPDA’s open letter in 2023 urging more transparency. The FIA’s response—“none of their business”—sparked calls for drivers to have a formal seat at the table.

Still, Russell insists the goal is cooperation, not conflict. “We don’t want to fight the FIA or F1,” he said. “We want to work together to get the best for everyone.” He praised race director Rui Marques and sporting director Tim Malyon for being receptive to driver feedback.

Speaking Up Despite Criticism

Russell acknowledged that being outspoken has led to criticism, but he’s unfazed. “The only way to avoid negativity is to say nothing,” he said. “Everyone has an opinion. I don’t read it, so it doesn’t bother me.”

His stance mirrors that of fellow driver Lando Norris, who has also faced backlash for discussing mental health. Russell’s message is clear: silence helps no one, and change starts with speaking up.