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GPDA puzzles Chandhok: 'Not sure if that is really the most serious issue?'
- Ludo van Denderen
The Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) - the F1 drivers' union - have hit out hard at FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in an open letter. Among other things, the drivers are calling on the Emirati to treat them as adults. Reasons include the penalties given to Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc after swearing during press conferences.
In the open letter, the drivers cited, together with the penalties for swearing, that Ben Sulayem should not instruct drivers through the media on trivial matters such as wearing jewellery and underwear. Karun Chandhok, a former F1 driver who currently works as an analyst for the British broadcaster, Sky Sports, was expecting other issues in the statement, speaking to GPblog.
"The statement of solidarity was very strong," the Indian stated. "But in my view, there are more important things in Formula 1. This thing about the cursing and the jewellery and underpants and all that…I’m not sure if that is really the most serious issue for drivers in F1?"
Chandhok believes other issues should be more important for F1 drivers
According to Chandhok, there are more important issues that deserve attention. "I think the most serious issue should be about the guidelines for racing, track limits, creating tracks with natural deterrents like gravel in key places and creating clear and fair rules for everybody to go racing that everyone understands."
"Those are much more important issues. So honestly, I really didn't pay much attention to this whole thing about the swearing and the underpants and the jewellery. These are not the biggest issues in our sport at the moment."
In fact, to the outside world these are trivial issues, but apparently not to the drivers. Perhaps these complaints would not have come out had there not been more irritation under the skin among the drivers. To that, Chandhok responds, "I guess so. But I've not wasted much time thinking about it because I’m not a current driver. But I guess for them, you're right, maybe for them it is more serious than it is for everyone else."
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