Why did Sainz join the GPDA as a director? 'I felt like I was ready'
F1 News
Carlos Sainz has revealed why he decided to join the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers Association) as a director this season. The Spaniard explained that he felt as if the time was right to join the board, feeling like he could make a difference as a highly experienced driver in Formula 1.
Sainz explains the decision to join GPDA
On the final day of testing in Bahrain, the Williams driver was quizzed on his decision to join the Formula 1 drivers trade union as a director by the media. "More or less during this winter, I had a bit of time to reflect on things, and I was at home, and the idea popped up in my head that maybe it's my time. Now that I'm 30, I have 10 years of experience in F1 and I start to understand how this sport works and the combination of the drivers, FOM and that link with the FIA, how, with my experience, I could potentially bring myself forward as a candidate."
Sainz also revealed that he met with chairman Alex Wurz to discuss a possible role. "I had a meeting with Alex (Wurz) in Monaco in January. He obviously agreed and supported the idea. At the moment, we only had one driver director, that was George (Russell). I just felt like I was ready for it and to take over the role, and my pals here seem to agree and support it. So that made things even easier."
Sainz: 'We need a different interview to run through the issues!'
What are the biggest issues that the GPDA faces? The Spaniard explained how he'd need a lot more than just a routine press conference to run through those in detail. "Maybe we need a different interview for that," he began. "Just for me to go through the three or four things that we maybe need to work on and that we are going to take part of our time. Some of them are private issues that we're trying to address in a private manner."
Sainz also made reference to more public issues, like the recent letter which WRC drivers sent to the FIA, in response to driver Adrien Fourmaux's fine for swearing. "Others are more public, like you've seen the letter that we posted and the support that we got from rally drivers not long ago. So it seems like we all seem to be in a similar mind frame in that sense. But yeah, I think it requires a different, a longer interview for that."
What is the GPDA?
The GPDA – first founded in the 1960s before being re-established in 1994 – focuses on safety matters but also speaks out on other issues within the sport. Carlos Sainz, a driver with over 200 Grands Prix starts, can help lead the GPDA alongside George Russell.
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