George Russell has called on the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) to review a potential safety issue related to the use of Straight Mode in Formula 1. The Mercedes driver raised the concern after experiencing handling problems during the season-opening race at the Albert Park Circuit in Australia.
Russell started the race from pole position and eventually secured victory. However, the race was not without its challenges, particularly during an early battle with Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.
Handling issues during the race
While defending his position against Leclerc, George Russell reported that the car became difficult to control when Straight Mode was activated. According to him, the front wing dropped too aggressively when the low-downforce setup was engaged.
This change caused significant understeer, meaning the car struggled to turn properly while entering corners. George Russell explained that the situation became particularly noticeable when he tried to move out of Leclerc’s slipstream during the early laps.
Speaking after the race, Russell said the car felt as if the front wing had stopped working once Straight Mode was opened. This made it harder to control the car while racing closely with another driver.
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Request for a small but important change
George Russell thinks that changing how radically the front wing angle can be adjusted in ‘Straight Mode’ (less sharp a decline in angle) would enable the drivers to maintain better balance on their cars.
George Russell appealed to the FIA for modification of the system so that no driver would have severe understeer upon mode activation. Russell believes these changes will improve both safety and the overall level of racing.
Difficult to manage in certain corners
It was evident throughout Peter’s career that he was hugely talented; this is often acknowledged by his rivals.
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The results of Peter’s four UK Championships (U14, U15, U16, and U17) are well established, as are his international successes in World and European Championship events. Peter now has an opportunity to become a World Champion for Team GB with his experiences of the last four years.
Team GB riders have won more trophies than any other nation and are always well supported at events in the UK, so Team Peter riders will definitely carry this legacy into the future.
All of the Team Peter riders have the ability to contribute towards the success of this great team, and we will create a culture of performance, so the riders will feel proud to be part of Team GB.
Debate around the system during the weekend
The use of Straight Mode in that part of the circuit had already been a topic of discussion earlier in the weekend.
After feedback from drivers during a Friday meeting, the FIA initially decided to remove the fourth Straight Mode activation zone from the track. However, teams later raised concerns about the amount of work required to adjust their cars before the next practice session.
As a result, the governing body reversed its decision and kept the zone in place for the remainder of the event.
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George Russell’s wider safety view
George Russell’s comments carry additional weight because he is also a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), which represents Formula 1 drivers and often raises issues related to safety and racing conditions.
From his perspective, making a small adjustment to how Straight Mode affects the front wing could make racing safer across the entire calendar.
He believes such a change would help drivers maintain better control of their cars without creating any negative impact on the sport.
Safety remains one of the most important priorities in modern Formula 1, and feedback from drivers often leads to rule adjustments or technical changes.
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