George Russell Praises 'Best Ever' FIA Collaboration on F1 Rule Changes

George Russell has heaped extraordinary praise on the FIA, revealing that its collaboration with drivers on the new power unit regulations has been the best ever. The Mercedes driver and GPDA director said that if drivers had been involved earlier, incidents like the near-miss between Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman in Japan would not have happened. The FIA held multiple meetings in April with drivers, teams, and stakeholders to address concerns about closing speeds.

Why it matters:

Driver input is often an afterthought in rulemaking, but this time the FIA listened—and the result could be safer racing. Closing speeds have become a critical safety issue, especially with the larger speed differentials between cars in the current generation. Russell believes that involving drivers from the start would have prevented dangerous situations before they materialized.

The details:

• The FIA scheduled meetings after the opening rounds, and the unscheduled break from canceled races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia created a perfect opportunity for deeper discussions.
• Focus on closing speeds: The main goal of the changes is to eliminate the kind of rapid approach seen when Colapinto nearly hit Bearman in Japan. Russell said those new rules would have prevented that incident.
• Russell's quote: "I think they have listened to the concerns… It's definitely the most collaborative they've ever been in this regard."
• Drivers also suggested they could foresee issues before they occur, and the FIA agreed to include them more in future regulation development.

What's next:

The collaboration is set to continue. Russell confirmed that the FIA wants drivers involved in future regulations from the outset, which could lead to more proactive safety measures. If the new rules deliver on their promise, the 2026 power unit era may start with a much safer on-track environment.