Russell happy about conversation with FIA: 'That's what we want to achieve'

08:49, 30 Jun 2023
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George Russell is glad there is a time to engage with the FIA. The Briton wants more clarity on certain rules so that it is clear to everyone what is and is not allowed.

As leader of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, Russell champions drivers' rights. Russell is currently the leader of the drivers' union, along with legal adviser Anastasia Fowle and former F1 drivers Sebastian Vettel and Alexander Wurz. Along with the drivers, Russell will now also get the chance for more clarity from the FIA.

Around the table with the FIA

In Austria, the drivers are sitting down with the FIA to talk to each other. Russell welcomes the opportunity. "There's always a lot of question marks, regardless of whether it comes to race scenarios, penalties, no penalties, race start, people cutting the corners. My example, even, in Barcelona where I took the escape route, should that have been penalised or not?"

F1 drivers can now raise those issues with the FIA and Russell hopes this will be the case more often. "I think it's important, maybe twice or three times a year that we come together with the guys making the decisions so they hear our views and we also hear theirs. You obviously want this consistency and that's what we're trying to achieve."

So the talks will focus on the consistency of the stewards' handing out of penalties. Several drivers have already complained about this, as did Gunther Steiner after a penalty for Nico Hulkenberg.