Carlos Sainz announced as new GPDA director

The Grand Prix Drivers Association have announced Williams’ Formula 1 driver, Carlos Sainz, will join the association as one of their directors. 

Feature image credit: Red Bull Content Pool / Getty Images

On Sunday, the GPDA posted an update on Instagram claiming that the Spanish F1 driver Sainz would become one of its directors. 

Following the announcement, Sainz – who will start his 11th season this year – will join Alex Wurz, the GPDA chairman, and fellow directors Anastasia Fowle and Mercedes’ George Russell.

The Spaniard will replace the now-retired Sebastian Vettel, who retired from F1 at the end of 2022 and has not raced competitively since. The four-time world champion occupied the position since 2010

On their Instagram page, the GPDA said: 

“Stepping into the role vacated by Sebastian Vettel, Sainz becomes a Director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association alongside George Russell, Anastasia Fowle, and Chairman, Alex Wurz.” 

Sainz, in a statement partnered with the GPDA’s post, said: 

“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.

 

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“So I’m very happy and proud to do my part by taking on the Director’s role in the GPDA.”

Sainz will join the role within the association at a somewhat turbulent time between Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, and the drivers, due to tension with the FIA’s current president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.   

Last year, the GPDA released a statement directing the FIA President to ‘consider his own tone’ as the FIA clamped down on ‘trivial’ matters such as jewellery, underpants and – more recently – swearing. 

In Singapore, Max Verstappen was slammed with FIA-community service – the FIA called ‘work of public interest – for saying his car was ‘f****d’ after Azerbaijan qualifying. The four-time world champion served his punishment at the FIA Awards in Rwanda, in December.  

F1 is not the only sport under the immense scrutiny of the FIA as Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux was slapped with a €10,000 fine for using ‘inappropriate language’ at a stage end, in the World Rally Championship’s Rally Sweden. 

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.