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F1 drivers want to be actively involved in taking key sporting decisions, including where the sport races, as per a report from Sky Sports News. Drivers had a long meeting ahead of the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after bombs were dropped just five miles away.
Drivers feel like they must be given a more serious role in the decision-making that goes on before the sport chooses to race in certain countries. While some countries such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain actively suffer from humanitarian crises, drivers believe their opinions on the countries the FIA chooses must be taken seriously.
A reporter from Sky Sports News elaborated, saying:
“The drivers want to be more integrated and have more of an input into some of the key decisions they are making within the sport. They want inputs on matters including on where F1 goes to race in the future. This has been on the agenda for some time now. The justification for the drivers wanting more input is that they are the face of the sport these days than they were five to ten years ago because F1 has much more embraced social media and digital platforms.”
Max Verstappen claims F1 drivers received a lot of guarantees from the FIA before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Max Verstappen confirmed that drivers were given several safety-related guarantees ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix following a missile strike just five miles from the track.
Addressing the media after winning the Saudi Arabian GP, the Dutchman touched upon the fact that the drivers will have a chat with the FIA about the future of the GP and how they will handle such situations going forward. He said:
“About the race here, well, we had a lot of guarantees that of course, we would be safe. I think after this weekend, all the drivers also together, we will speak with F1 and of course also the team bosses to see what’s happening for the future.”
Having terminated its contract with Russia over the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict, things are looking up for the sport from a humanitarian perspective. Earlier, Russian driver Nikita Mazepin was fired after his father was known to have direct ties to Vladimir Putin.
It is unclear what steps the FIA will take to include drivers in its decision-making. It is also unclear why mechanics and other personnel weren't given an opinion on the matter.
