Russell wants 'action' from FIA on swearing ban

Miami Grand Prix

Venue: Miami International Autodrome Dates: 2-4 May Race start: 21:00 BST on Sunday

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George Russell says "words don't mean anything" after a pledge from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to revisit the governing body's ban on drivers swearing.

Ben Sulayem changed the FIA statues in the winter to codify a series of penalties for drivers who either swear or criticise the FIA.

But in an Instagram post this week, the Emirati said he was "considering making improvements" to the rules in question "following constructive feedback from drivers across our seven FIA world championships".

Mercedes driver Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), refused to comment on Ben Sulayem's intervention.

"It's being considered," he said. "The words don't mean anything until the change has been made."

He said there had been no dialogue with the FIA on the matter - and none since the drivers wrote an open letter in November asking the governing body to treat them like "adults".

Russell added: "Collectively, we've not spoken any further since the open letter that was sent out. Whether that is the response I'm not too sure.

"It would be great if changes were made and the drivers were at least heard and it's in the best interests of the sport, and ensuring some common sense is applied to it. We can comment on it when we see the action rather than the consideration."

The FIA has given no further details on what changes might be made, but has to detail to its members any potential statue changes that might be made at June's General Assembly by 8 May.

Asked why the drivers and their collective body the GPDA had no formal relationship with the FIA, Russell said: "It is unprecedented times we have been in the last 18 months with what's been changing and what's happening.

"The GPDA wasn't founded to talk about politics. It was to talk about safety and the racing. I find myself talking about things I don't have any intention of talking about and we are here to talk about going racing, the fastest cars, the safest cars, the best engineering, and yet we talk about fines and punishments and swearing.

"Maybe something should change. We are open to it but we ultimately want the best for the sport."

Russell's remarks are an oblique reference to the series of controversies that have emerged since Ben Sulayem was elected in December 2021.

These have included his views on women, a dismissal of a number of senior figures amid questions about the finances of the president's, changes to the statutes which critics say undermine accountability and good governance, whistleblower allegations against Ben Sulayem which the FIA dismissed and a lawsuit lodged against the FIA by Susie Wolff, the director of the F1 Academy for aspiring female drivers.

The latest was the resignation of the deputy president of sport Robert Reid last month, which was followed by the first public intervention from former FIA chief executive officer Natalie Robyn since she was forced to resign last summer after just 18 months in the role.

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton said: "The GPDA is very unified. We want to be able to work closely with the FIA. We all want to work together and make the sport better.

"We have faced a bit of an uphill challenge in that communication over time.

"We don't hold a power seat at the table and that needs to change, in my opinion. Other sports have unions. We just want to collaborate more and have our voices heard."