Lewis Hamilton asks FIA for bigger role

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has voiced his concerns about drivers being overlooked by the FIA, suggesting that they should work more closely with the sport's governing body.

Hamilton is one of the most well-respected drivers in the sport, due to him being the most successful racer the sport has ever seen, and having a huge global presence beyond motorsport.

However, he is not one of the leading voices within the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA). That honour falls to Hamilton's former team-mate George Russell - who is the chairman of the GPDA - and Carlos Sainz, who has recently been appointed the new director of the association.

Russell has recently made his thoughts clear about the way in which the FIA is currently operating, with F1's governing body seeing a mass exodus of staff within the last 18 months, and seemingly starting a war of words with the likes of Max Verstappen and Russell over their swearing policy.

Now, Hamilton has suggested that the drivers just want a bigger role in the decision-making processes, calling on the FIA to let drivers in more.

"I think ultimately the GPDA is very unified. Ultimately, we want to be able to work closely with the FIA," Hamilton told media ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.

"I think everyone, all of us want to continue to work together and make the sport better. And of course, we've faced a bit of an uphill challenge in that communication over time.

"Ultimately, we don't hold a power seat at the table and that needs to change, in my opinion. If you look at other sports that have unions, that may be something that comes into play at some stage.

"We don't want to control things; we just want to collaborate with them more and have our voices heard.

"Ultimately, people making decisions for others that have never been in that position, it's good to have the point of view from the driver's perspective, and that's all we try to give."

Russell hints at FIA changes

On top of Hamilton's comments on Thursday media day at the Miami International Autodrome, Russell also reiterated his concerns about having to be discussing 'politics', rather than racing.

He said that changes needed to be made in the way in which the FIA governs F1, hinting that recent arguments over punishments and fines weren't what the GPDA was created for.

"I feel it's like unprecedented times we've been in the last 18 months with what's been changing, what's happening.

"I think when the GPDA was founded years ago, it wasn't really to talk about politics. It was to talk about safety, it was to talk about improvements of the sport, improvements of the racing.

"And, especially myself, I find myself talking about topics that I didn't really have any intention of talking about, but we find ourselves in a time where we're not focused on the things why we're all here.

"We're here to go racing. We're here to create the best show for the fans, to have the fastest cars, the safest cars, the best technology, the best engineering. And yet we talk about fines and punishments and swearing.

"So, maybe something should change. We're open to it, but we just ultimately want the best for the sport."

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