Sainz Steps Up As Director Of F1 Drivers’ Association

Carlos Sainz, the 30-year-old Spaniard who has made the switch from Ferrari to Williams for the 2025 season, has been appointed as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), filling the vacancy left by the retired four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.

In an Instagram post announcing his new role, Sainz expressed his enthusiasm and sense of responsibility towards the sport. “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 directors’ role in the GPDA.”

GPDA chairman Alex Wurz welcomed Sainz’s appointment, stating, “We are delighted to welcome Carlos as a GPDA director. He has been an active and engaged member of the GPDA for several years and we sincerely appreciate his commitment in stepping up to this vital role.”

Sainz joins Wurz, Mercedes driver George Russell, and Anastasia Fowle as a GPDA leader. The GPDA, formed in the early 1960s, has primarily focused on safety matters, such as the adoption of the life-saving ‘halo’ head protection device in F1 for the 2018 season.

However, in recent years, the drivers have found themselves at odds with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who was elected in 2021. Ben Sulayem’s actions have raised concerns among many stakeholders in F1, particularly his decision in January to codify a process by which drivers can face a race ban for swearing.

The FIA has not provided clarity on how these rules will be applied, and world rally driver Adrien Fourmaux recently became the first driver to be fined €10,000 for swearing in a TV interview at Rally Sweden.

Sainz has voiced his opinion on the matter, stating that it is wrong to threaten F1 drivers with bans for swearing, although he agreed that drivers should avoid using bad language in news conferences and television interviews.

In November, the GPDA wrote an open letter to the FIA, asking the governing body to treat them like adults and expressing their view that fines were “not appropriate” forms of punishment. The letter also requested transparency on how the fines were spent. However, the FIA has not responded to the drivers’ concerns.