Russell calls for action and says F1 "needs to do more" to combat racism

Since last week, Formula 1 has found itself circling around a topic that unfortunately is still very much present in society at large: racism. First, F2 driver Jüri Vips said a racist term during a Twitch live stream and was cut from the Red Bull Driver Academy. Immediately after the case, the internet discovered an interview Nelson Piquet did last year in which he repeatedly referred to Lewis Hamilton also using a racist word - and GRANDE PRÊMIO later had access to the full content, revealing that the former driver was even homophobic.

Piquet's case, specifically, provoked public protests from all sides, including demonstrations by Formula 1 and the FIA, as well as by other teams and drivers on the grid, in support of Hamilton. One of those who did not keep quiet about it was George Russell, who spoke again about the need for Formula 1 to seek a way beyond words to combat racism, since the category is a showcase for the world.

"I think it's clear that we all need to do more to combat this racism that's happening not just in the world of motorsport but in society," Russell said at Silverstone. "And I think it's about something beyond that - the abuse that people receive on the internet. I think it's great to see everyone coming together and putting forward their views, and we have a duty to do more. It's shocking to see that we still have these things in this day and age," added the Mercedes driver.

In 2020, as a result of the wave of protests that swept the world after the brutal police murder of George Floyd in the United States, Formula One found a way to support Black Lives Matter and introduced the "We Race as One" campaign. Before the races, it also promoted an anti-racist ceremony, with the drivers kneeling in protest.

The attitude, however, lasted until the end of last year. The category decided to end the protest before the races this season. At the time, Stefano Domenicali, F1 president, said it was time "not to have to do politics, but a matter of gesture for action."

Russell, who is the current director of the GPDA (F1 Drivers' Association), was asked about the anti-racist ceremony and said that the issue has been talked about, although it is not yet known how F1 will act. "I don't think anything that is done is really enough. I haven't seen the statement from F1 itself, so I can't comment on it. But it seems like it's been two years since we all got down on our knees in Austria."

"When the decision to stop came out, many questioned why we did that, because it wasn't as if racism had been resolved. And that week it was shocking to see it on two ends, coming from someone stuck in his time, an older generation, but also from someone so young. I think we have to do more. I don't know what we'll talk about [about the return of the anti-racist ceremony] exactly, but we definitely need to talk about how to use our platform for the greater good," he pointed out.

Russell also talked about crowd behavior during races, citing an incident that happened to him at the Canadian Grand Prix during the drivers' parade. He told that a fan shouted his name and booed him, and the Englishman wondered about the motivation surrounding that act.

"There are things that, unfortunately, you have to get used to and accept. But this is another example of something that needs to be eliminated. What gives this guy the right to boo someone? What gives soccer fans the right to insult players? They are just doing their job, doing their best in pursuit of a career, and many don't understand that," continued the driver.

"We've talked about it a lot in the last few years, whether it's about mental health or fighting racism or social abuse, and we're just race drivers, we're not politicians. Everyone feels a duty to use our platform to help educate people, as well as ourselves. But when it comes to racism or social abuse, no one needs to be educated about it. It's shocking to see that this is still going on," Russell concluded.