George Russell says drivers were surprised by the FIA’s announcement last week that race director Niels Wittich had been replaced.
The FIA said Wittich, who took over the role at the beginning of 2022, had left to pursue other opportunities. However he claimed the governing body chose to release him from his position.Russell said the FIA did not inform or consult drivers over Wittich’s departure. “We definitely weren’t aware,” he said. “It was a bit of a surprise, I think, for everybody.”
Formula 2 race director Rui Marques will take over from Wittich at the final three rounds of the season. Russell said he has “a hell of a lot of pressure” on his shoulders in taking over the role this late in the year.
“For us, often, as drivers, we feel like we’re the last to find out this sort of information. And when it involves us kind of directly it would be nice to be kept in the loop and just have an understanding of what decisions are being made.
“So time will tell. I’m sure the new guy will handle the position just fine, but definitely not an easy race for a new race director.”
Although drivers expressed some concerns over decisions taken by Wittich during his time in charge, Russell says they had been content to continue working with him.
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“I can only talk on behalf of myself here, as opposed to any of the other drivers, but I think there’s no secret that some were not happy with what was going on in terms of the decisions that were being made,” he said. “But at the end of the day I think, working together with us, we could have helped improve the matter.
“I think sometimes just hiring and firing is not the solution. You need to work together to improve the problem.
“So let’s see what this new era is going to bring. But every time there is a change, you have to take one step back before you make the two steps forward.”
Russell is a director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, which published an open letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem last week criticising his stance on drivers swearing in press conferences and demanding transparency on how fines levied on them are used. The Mercedes driver called on the FIA to work more closely with drivers over the concerns they raised.
“Talking as a fellow driver as opposed to my role with the GPDA, I think everybody felt with certain things that have happened over the course of this year that we wanted to stand united,” he said.
“At the end of the day we just want to be transparent with the FIA and have this dialogue that is happening. And I think the departure of Niels is also a prime example of not being a part of these conversations.
“Ultimately we want to work with the FIA to make the best for the sport that we all love. So I think it’s kind of us now putting the pressure back on them to work with us and work with everyone, including F1 as well, just to maximise this opportunity which Formula 1 is in at the moment, which is an amazing time to be a part of.”
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Jere (@jerejj)
21st November 2024, 7:20
Greater transparency is something I’ve also been wishing for, not only from FIA but FOM as well.
tielemst
21st November 2024, 10:14
I’ve read the translated interview on a dutch site where there were more comments by George, especially regarding the presidency of MBS. That there was not much to gain by talking to him because he listens but in the end doesn’t do what he promises, and that pretty much all drivers feel that way. Pretty damning statement.
Pat Ruadh (@fullcoursecaution)
21st November 2024, 10:36
I had previously thought George was a strange candidate for GPDA director, and indeed criticised him during the porpoising debacle, where he arguably tried to leverage his position for competitive gain, but I’ve very impressed with him this time round, he’s acting with great aplomb and dragging the GPDA back into the necessary checks-and-balances of the upper management.
Coventry Climax
21st November 2024, 10:43
Lovely. So any of the other drivers can talk on behalf of the others?
I’ve never seen him as fit for the role of director of the GPDA. Too close to Mercedes and the Wolff clique. Let’s have someone from the backmarker teams, like Haas, or this green team, whatever they call themselves these days.
Is there even a test regarding required qualities, or is just being one of the drivers enough, and getting the vote from those that aren’t interested in the role themselves?
anon
21st November 2024, 12:04
You seem to have completely distorted that quote into meaning the polar opposite of what he meant, to the point that it almost seems intentional.
What he has said there is that he is speaking from his own personal perspective and is not speaking on behalf of the other drivers – in other words, it’s the opposite of what you have claimed.
Coventry Climax
21st November 2024, 13:47
For someone in the role of spokesperson, I expect him to correctly say what he means, and not leave it to fans to interpret his words.
In that respect, there’s no difference to what everybody is always ranting about when either Horner or Wolff open their mouths.
anon
21st November 2024, 14:06
Everyone else has clearly understood what he was saying – you are the only person who seems to have a problem with it, suggesting that the problem lies with you and not with the original statement.
SteveP
21st November 2024, 14:54
His wording is pretty standard “management/PR speak” in that he qualifies the statements as not being the collective view because the specific subject in question is not one where he has collected the views of all the drivers.
Non-antagonistic question here:
Have you ever chaired any group and had to do the PR thing speaking for the group? If so, did any of the journo’s putting questions ever throw you a curveball?
They do that to try and take you away from prepared statements.
Timmy
21st November 2024, 15:12
He did, YOU are the one who has completely botched understanding something very simple…
Timmy
21st November 2024, 10:58
An Sionnach
21st November 2024, 15:23
Well said, George. I’m not against hiring and firing, but this still seems bizarre. I don’t see anything that was done that might not be done by anyone else. Working through problems first would be good, and knowing what the problem was would be a start.
S
21st November 2024, 17:18
Russell seems to always put things into a certain perspective, as though F1 is all about himself/the drivers and he is the self-appointed spokesperson (or union leader).
The FIA didn’t consult with the GPDA about this or many other things simply because they don’t have to. It’s primarily an internal FIA matter. Input or influence from the GPDA would almost certainly not have ‘fixed’ this – nor would it likely ‘fix’ or even improve most other issues in F1.
If the GPDA was meant to make themselves out to be important to F1, they are failing at it.
Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
21st November 2024, 19:17
I think some are being a bit unfair on George. I am not a fan of his and I was a little surprised he ended up in the position he has with the GPDA. But I think he seems to be managing his role quite well and putting across the concerns and desires of his fellow drivers quite articulately. There is always going to be alternate views in all representative organisations but I think he is giving clarity to their opinions. It’s quite encouraging to see this from a fans point of view.
Stoo
22nd November 2024, 15:47
It seems to me that if the FIA a problem with what was decided by Wittich in the many and diverse disruptions to GP’s, that they should have expounded on what actions he should have taken rather than simply firing him.
Maybe some instruction or guiding light from the President would have been seen by the drivers as confirmation that those at the top actually knew what they were doing, alas no such pearls of wisdom came down from on high, bearing in mind that he was actually sage enough to give some correct instruction.
S
23rd November 2024, 5:00
They would have called that “interference.”