George Russell hopes for a 'sustainable' F1 calendar as the current one 'really takes it out of you'

George Russell said that he was hopeful that F1 would have a more "sustainable" calendar in the future.

During a complete season, the drivers and the teams travel all around the world to fight for the world championship. They sometimes have to change continents on a weekly basis if there are back-to-back races.

The hectic schedule and constant travel often catches up with F1 personnel and becomes incredibly unsustainable given the sport's carbon footprint. Speaking to RacingNews365, Russell said:

"With the team, I've got around me, we're really on it with human performance. It's something we're trying to implement a bit more into the group around us because these timezone shifts are so brutal for some of the races, and just the length of the flights. It doesn't matter how you fly, it really takes it out of you. It is definitely getting to a point where people are feeling the effects.

"I think we've had some good conversations with Formula 1 about where the future is and perhaps making things a bit more sustainable, not just for flying but all of us on this roller coaster together. But ultimately you're so energized and motivated from going out there and driving, sometimes even if you don't have the best night's sleep, once you're in the car, you're on your game."

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"I’m incredibly grateful for all the effort that has gone in" - George Russell

George Russell revealed that he was incredibly proud of his team for their efforts after conducting a successful 'shakedown' for their 2023 challenger W14.

As per PlanetF1, the Mercedes driver revealed that everyone in the factory was looking forward to putting the car out on the track.

He said:

“It is always a much-anticipated moment for everyone at the factory that has been working so hard; I’m incredibly grateful for all the effort that has gone in. The day has been smooth; we got through a good program, and we’ve come away with some useful findings. I generally felt comfortable in the car and I’m excited to get going in Bahrain.”

George Russell added:

“We’ve had a solid start to the program for the W14. Conditions weren’t great for filming or running but we completed the permitted 100km without any issues, and both drivers have been able to give us a good assessment of their first impressions of the car,"

It would be interesting to see if George Russell could become the first driver in history to beat Lewis Hamilton in back-to-back seasons as a teammate.