Russell explains what his F1 GPDA director role actually means

After Romain Grosjean left F1 for IndyCar at the end of 2020, Russell announced he had replaced the Frenchman as one of the directors of the GPDA, which was formed in 1961 and acts as the trade union of F1 drivers. 

Russell works alongside ex-racer and current GPDA chairman Alex Wurz, and the group’s legal counsel Anastasia Fowle, to represent the drivers’ interests, with a particular focus on safety. 

“I work with two of the key members, who are Alex Wurz, who is an ex-Formula 1 driver, and Anastasia Fowle, who’s the legal counsel,” Russell told Square Mile. 

“And I’ve got to be honest, they do the brunt of the work because they are truly representing us drivers. 

“I think Alex and I are the eyes and ears on the ground, we’re the ones talking more directly among the drivers. 

“We’d always get together, we’d always have a driver’s briefing on a Friday night before every race, between the FIA and Formula 1, but probably every four races, all 20 drivers would just stay together and talk about a given issue. 

“Sometimes there are more issues at play, sometimes there’s nothing to discuss because there are no major concerns, but I think the main role is probably driver safety.

“Then secondly, it’s trying to improve the sport, improve the racing, which is something we all feel passionate about. 

“Then probably making sure that the sport strikes the right balance between access and exclusivity. 

“I think there are a number of things that are being proposed to the sport that may come at the compromise of drivers, so you have to make sure that there’s a balance.” 

Russell, who made his F1 debut with Williams in 2019 and was only 23 at the time he became a director, wants his GPDA role to be something he looks back on with pride at the end of his career. 

“It’s something I enjoy doing,” Russell said. 

“I enjoy being a part of it, and similar to the mental health topic, if I can look back in 20 years time - obviously my number one goal is to win world championships - but if I can look back and say that I’ve had a positive impact on the sport, whether it’s for the show or the racing or the safety, that’s something I can be proud of, too.”