The Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) is the
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...
of
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
drivers.
History
The GPDA was founded in May 1961 and, following an election by members, its inaugural Chairman was
Stirling Moss.
Its initial aims of this organisation were to obtain representation on the ''Commission Sportive Internationale'' (CSI) of the
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA; en, International Automobile Federation) is an association established on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users. It is the governing body for ...
(FIA), which at the time was motorsport's governing body, in order to improve safety standards and provisions for both drivers and spectators. After Moss retired from the sport in 1963,
Jo Bonnier
Joakim Bonnier (31 January 1930 – 11 June 1972) was a Swedish sportscar racing and Formula One driver who raced for various teams. He was the first Swede to both enter and win a Formula One Grand Prix.
Early life
Jo Bonnier was born in Stockh ...
succeeded him.
The organisation was disbanded following the events during the
1982 South African Grand Prix
The 1982 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami on 23 January 1982. It was the first race of the 1982 Formula One World Championship. It was the 28th edition of the South African Grand Prix and the 16th time that ...
due to the sport's changing commercial arrangements, the
Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile
Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) was the sport governing body for motor racing events, in particular Formula One. The organization's origins dated from 1922, when the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) delegate ...
(FISA) adding restrictive clauses to the
FIA Super Licence
The FIA Super Licence is a driver's qualification allowing the holder to compete in the Formula One World Championship.
Requirements Super Licence
To qualify for an FIA Racing Super Licence an applicant must meet the requirements of the FIA's Int ...
, and the conflict between the
Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA) and FIA. It was replaced by the Professional Racing Drivers Association (PRDA) at a drivers' meeting in Paris before the planned-then-cancelled Argentine Grand Prix.
Niki Lauda
Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (22 February 1949 – 20 May 2019) was an Austrian Formula One driver and aviation entrepreneur. He was a three-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion, winning in , and , and is the only driver in Formula ...
,
Christian Fittipaldi
Christian Fittipaldi (born 18 January 1971) is a Brazilian former racing driver who has competed in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, Champ Car, and NASCAR. He was a highly rated young racing driver in the early 1990s, and parti ...
,
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher (; ; born 3 January 1969) is a German former racing driver who competed in Formula One for Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari, and Mercedes. Schumacher has a joint-record seven World Drivers' Championship titles (tied with Lewis ...
and
Gerhard Berger
Gerhard Berger (born 27 August 1959) is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver. He competed in Formula One for 14 seasons, twice finishing 3rd overall in the championship ( and ), both times driving for Ferrari. He won ten Grands Prix, ach ...
re-established the GPDA over the
1994 Monaco Grand Prix
The 1994 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 15 May 1994 at the Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo. It was the fourth race of the 1994 Formula One World Championship, and the first following the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland R ...
race weekend, following the events of the preceding
San Marino Grand Prix
The San Marino Grand Prix () was a Formula One championship race which was run at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in the town of Imola, near the Apennine mountains in Italy, between 1981 and 2006. It was named after nearby S ...
, which culminated with the deaths of
Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna da Silva (; 21 March 1960 – 1 May 1994) was a Brazilian racing driver who won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in , , and . Senna is one of three Formula One drivers from Brazil to win the World Championship and ...
and
Roland Ratzenberger
Roland Ratzenberger (; 4 July 1960 – 30 April 1994) was an Austrian racing driver who raced in various categories of motorsport, including British Formula 3000, Japanese Formula 3000 and Formula One. Having had sporadic success throughout t ...
, during the Sunday race and Saturday qualifying respectively. Shortly before his own fatal accident, and following the fatal accident of Ratzenberger and the serious accident of
Rubens Barrichello
Rubens "Rubinho" Gonçalves Barrichello (, ; born 23 May 1972) is a Brazilian professional racing driver who competed in Formula One between and . He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 111 T ...
during Thursday practice, Senna spent his final morning on the Sunday talking to former teammate and rival Alain Prost to discuss the re-establishment of the GPDA and had offered to take the Chairman role starting from the Monaco Grand Prix.
In 1996, the association was incorporated in the UK as a
company limited by guarantee ("Grand Prix Drivers Association Ltd"). For the first time, the association had a formal
constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When these princ ...
, and permanent offices in Monaco.
Membership and leadership
Membership of GPDA is not compulsory. For example, during the
2013 Formula One season
The 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 64th Formula One World Championship, recognised by the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), as the highest class of competition for open-wheel raci ...
, only 19 out of 22 active drivers were members (with
Kimi Räikkönen,
Adrian Sutil
Adrian Sutil (; born 11 January 1983) is a German-Uruguayan racing driver who raced in Formula One for seven seasons: from 2007–2011, then 2013–2014. He drove for the Spyker F1 Team, Force India F1 Team and the Sauber F1 Team. He was also t ...
and
Valtteri Bottas
Valtteri Viktor Bottas (; born 28 August 1989) is a Finnish racing driver currently competing in Formula One for Alfa Romeo, having previously driven for Mercedes from to and Williams from to . Bottas has scored race wins and podiums. H ...
being the exceptions). Joining the GPDA costs
£2,000. It was announced on 13 December 2017 that all the drivers had signed up.
GPDA members elect their representatives. Currently, there are four directors: active Formula One driver
George Russell, legal adviser Anastasia Fowle (the first non-F1 driver past or present to be appointed a GPDA director) and former Formula One drivers
Sebastian Vettel and
Alexander Wurz
Alexander Georg Wurz (born 15 February 1974) is an Austrian former professional racing driver, driver training expert and businessman. He competed in Formula One from until , and is also a two-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours.
He is current ...
, the latter of whom serves as chairman.
List of directors
''Note: from 1996''
Controversies
During the 2005 season the GPDA became increasingly involved in the politics (and controversy) of Formula One.
Following the , the GPDA issued a statement supporting the case of the Michelin teams in the
FIA World Motor Sport Council
The World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) is a major organ within the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's governance structure. Its primary role is amending current regulations and drafting new regulations for all of international motor spo ...
. Significantly, though the majority of drivers signed the statement, Michael Schumacher did not. He claimed that he was not asked to and would not have done so, in any event. The statement claimed that the FIA's proposed solutions to the problems experienced by the Michelin teams were unworkable. Schumacher claimed the problems at Indianapolis were technical rather than a safety issue.
A meeting between the GPDA and
FIA
FIA is the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (English: International Automobile Federation), the world's governing body for all forms of motor sport where four or more wheels are used.
Fia or FIA may also refer to: People
* Fia Backs ...
president
Max Mosley
Max Rufus Mosley (13 April 1940 – 23 May 2021) was a British racing driver, lawyer, and president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), a non-profit association which represents the interests of motoring organisations and ...
, scheduled for the , was cancelled by Mosley because of statements made by David Coulthard. Mosley claimed Coulthard's statements to the media were a "distortion" of the purpose of the meeting and accused him of stirring up dissent. In retaliation the GPDA released a letter that had been sent to Mosley accusing him of jeopardising the GPDA's drive for improved safety:
:''“We were also concerned to learn that during the course of
telephone conversation with Coulthard you suggested the FIA might withdraw support for the ongoing safety initiatives of the GPDA... The GPDA believes that safety issues are of the highest importance and are disappointed not to receive the full support of the FIA president in this matter".
["GPDA Statement "](_blank)
In 2010, upon his return to the sport as a competitor, Michael Schumacher announced that he did not intend to join the GPDA. He subsequently became a "silent member" following discussions with GPDA directors (chiefly,
Felipe Massa).
Notable activities
Thanks to the activism of the GPDA, the
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps was boycotted in 1969 and the
Nürburgring in 1970 and after 1976, over safety concerns.
In 2013, following a series of tyre blowouts at the
British Grand Prix
The British Grand Prix is a Grand Prix motor race organised in the United Kingdom by the Royal Automobile Club. First held in 1926, the British Grand Prix has been held annually since 1948 and has been a round of the FIA Formula One World Ch ...
, tyre safety became a major issue, with the GPDA announcing through a statement that its member drivers would withdraw from the subsequent
German Grand Prix
The German Grand Prix (german: Großer Preis von Deutschland) was a motor race that took place most years since 1926, with 75 races having been held. The race has been held at only three venues throughout its history; the Nürburgring in Rh ...
unless remedial action was taken.
[''GPDA Statement''](_blank)
In May 2015, the GPDA and Motorsport.com joined forces to allow followers of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship to voice and share their opinions about the sport through an extensive worldwide survey for fans. More than 200,000 respondents participated in the survey.
In July 2015, following the death of
Jules Bianchi
Jules Lucien André Bianchi (; 3 August 1989 – 17 July 2015) was a French motor racing driver who drove for the Marussia F1 Team in the FIA Formula One World Championship.
Bianchi had previously raced in Formula Renault 3.5, GP2 and Form ...
, the GPDA announced that it felt a responsibility "to never relent in improving safety".
In March 2016, following changes to the qualifying system, the GPDA released an open letter written by Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Alexander Wurz on behalf of all drivers saying that the sport's leadership was broken, calling the decision making within Formula One 'obsolete' and 'Ill-structured'.
The GPDA believes that the decision making could 'jeopardise F1's future success'.
After the second free practice session of the
2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the GPDA held a four hour meeting after multiple instances of missile strikes, some as close as 10km from the circuit.
Pierre Gasly
Pierre Gasly (; born 7 February 1996) is a French racing driver, currently competing in Formula One under the French flag, racing for Scuderia AlphaTauri. He is the 2016 GP2 Series champion, and the runner-up in the 2014 Formula Renault 3.5 ...
spoke to media later, telling them that "Everyone was able to give their opinion. We were aligned with our intentions." A later statement from the FIA and Formula 1 assured that racing will go ahead and that the track is safe. GPDA chairman Alexander Wurz also issued a statement.
See also
*
Jackie Stewart
Sir John Young Stewart (born 11 June 1939), known as Jackie Stewart, is a British former Formula One racing driver from Scotland. Nicknamed the "Flying Scot", he competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Cha ...
*
Sid Watkins
Eric Sidney Watkins (6 September 1928 – 12 September 2012), commonly known within the Formula One fraternity as Professor Sid or simply Prof, was an English neurosurgeon. Born in Liverpool, Watkins enrolled at the University of Liverpoo ...
*
Road safety
Road traffic safety refers to the methods and measures used to prevent road users from being killed or seriously injured. Typical road users include pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, vehicle passengers, horse riders, and passengers of on-roa ...
References
External links
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