Carlos Sainz replaces F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel in a new role

Williams Racing driver Carlos Sainz takes up a new role replacing F1 legend and Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. Sainz has now become the new director of GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers Association) and will now work alongside George Russell for the welfare of F1 drivers.

With this Sainz and Russell are the only two active drivers to lead the GPDA and will represent the driver's interests to F1 and FIA. previously the GPDA was headed by 4-time world champion Sebastian Vettel when he was in the Aston Martin F1 team.

After his retirement in the 2022 season the place was vacant for a long time. The Grand Prix Drivers Association was started in 1961 to voice the driver's concerns regarding safety and security on the race track. It was headed by Former F1 driver and two-time LeMans winner Alexander Wurz since 2014. 

Carlos Sainz is now GPDA director

George Russell joined him in 2021 after making his debut in 2019. Russell played a huge role in writing an open warning letter to the FIA president regarding his behaviour towards F1 drivers and asked him to treat the drivers as adults. Now Sainz will join him as the director and lead the organization together from the F1 2025 season. 

Sainz 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. So, I'm very happy and proud to do my part by taking on the director's role in the GPDA.”

The GPDA played a very important role in improving the safety of Formula 1 cars. It was reformed after the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger in the 1994 season. The Association has been active since then and recently during the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, they nearly went for a strike following a missile attack near the track.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem and the F1 Drivers Association have a rough relationship which started last year. MBS and Max Verstappen were at odds regarding the Swearing over radio controversy. Verstappen even protested during the driver's press meet at Singapore GP. 

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