MONACO — Carlos Sainz, the Spanish race car driver, has been appointed as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), which functions essentially as a union for the competitors in Formula One.
The role became available following the departure of former F1 champion Sebastian Vettel from the position.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the sport, Sainz stated, “I am passionate about my sport and think we drivers have a responsibility to do all we can to work with the stakeholders to forward the sport in many aspects,” in a message shared on the GPDA’s official Instagram account.
The GPDA gained attention last year when it took a stand against the leadership of Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of the FIA. The organization urged the Emirati official to treat the drivers with respect, sparked by a situation where Max Verstappen was mandated to complete community service due to inappropriate language used during a press conference.
Sainz’s new role in the GPDA highlights the continuing evolution of driver representation within the sport, placing emphasis on collaboration and addressing various issues faced by F1 drivers.
