George Russell no longer has to shoulder the responsibility of being the sole chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA). Carlos Sainz Jr is joining the Brit as co-chairman, making him the only other chairman of the drivers’ union currently racing on the F1 grid. Russell takes this opportunity to send a veiled message to the FIA: ‘We twenty are probably more united than ever.’
Since 2021, George Russell has been one of the chairmen of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA). As of this week, the Brit is receiving assistance from new co-chairman Carlos Sainz. “It’s great to have Carlos at the GPDA,” Russell congratulates the Spaniard on his new role. “He is clearly a fantastic driver, a very smart and wise person. And he’s been around for a long time.”
With the appointment of Sainz, Russell is primarily relieved that he is not the only driver on the grid carrying the chairmanship within the drivers’ union. “Of course, there was always more than one driver-chairman in the past, but since Sebastian Vettel retired (end of 2022), I’ve been the only one for the past few years. So I’m glad that the questions can be more evenly distributed between me and another driver.”
United More Than Ever
In recent years, the GPDA has repeatedly clashed with the FIA, even sending an official message to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem last November. In the statement, disseminated via the union’s Instagram channel, they defended Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. The two drivers had previously been penalized in the 2024 season for using coarse language.
“But I think we, as a group of twenty, are probably more united than ever, especially with everything happening off the track,” Russell seems to be sending a veiled message to the governing body. “And having Carlos as one of the key voices, I think, is a great addition.”
