The Grand Prix Drivers Association, or simply put GPDA, is a union of current F1 drivers who pick a director among themselves. It came into being in 1961 to advocate for drivers’ interests and safety. While the FIA disbanded the union in 1982, GPDA made a comeback in the aftermath of the 1994 San Marino GP weekend, which claimed the lives of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger.
The GPDA is not a union that is often in the spotlight. That changed recently when the association started an Instagram page. Within a couple of days, the GPDA dropped a bombshell with a strongly worded post — putting the drivers’ safety at the forefront in the aftermath of a dangerous Sao Paulo GP.
Another thing that caught attention was their criticism of the FIA president’s controversial remarks. But the question remains — will it make a difference?
Why the GPDA went public?
Until recently, GPDA negotiated drivers’ collective interests with F1 and the FIA behind closed doors. The formation of an Instagram page therefore came as a surprise. It could also be an indication of a possible fallout with Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who has been in the midst of controversies ever since he took over the role of the FIA president.
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Among those that garnered much public attention is Max Verstappen’s swearing punishment. Before that, the FIA came under fire for imposing a ban on jewelry, with Lewis Hamilton leading the opposition. The Briton ultimately had to furnish a doctor’s certificate to prove his inability to extract his nose stud without surgery.
These are just a couple of subjects of contention that have seen drivers and the FIA come face to face. Unsurprisingly, the feud spilled over to the media attention which saw the fans rally behind the drivers. The formation of the Instagram account and expressing dissent against the ruling body could therefore be the need to gather public support.
How fans have driven decision-making in F1
F1 may be a sport of the elite with much of the business being conducted away from the public eye. However, fans’ perspective has become a major driving force lately, even in policy formation.
That public perception even led to the policymakers opting to drive the sport towards sustainability by pledging to go carbon neutral by 2030. While this is an example of public perception influencing larger policies, there are plenty of examples that saw drivers’ interests come through as well.
Sprint race format
The introduction of sprint races is an example of F1 going the extra mile to engage more fans. However, the move initially faced opposition from several drivers and teams. At the forefront were Red Bull and Verstappen, who continues to dislike the format.
The Dutchman questioned the risk-to-reward ratio of a sprint race which awarded the winner just eight points. For that, a driver would have to race hard, to the extent of risking a crash and wrecking the car before the main race. The resultant repairs and grid penalties could prove to be a big setback for the driver.
At the same time, Red Bull questioned the format which only allowed for the teams to make changes to the cars after just one practice session. That is two practice sessions less than a normal race weekend.
Fans saw merit in the argument and soon after the FIA introduced new Parc Ferme rules for the sprint weekends in 2024. As per the new format, there are two Parc Ferme periods which allow the teams to make changes to the car after the sprint race.
Qatar GP safety improvements
The Qatar GP is among the most physically challenging race weekends on the F1 calendar. The 2023 iteration of the race saw several drivers fall sick, owing to the extreme heat they faced in the cockpit.
Williams driver Logan Sargeant was so dehydrated that he had to abort the race while it was still going on. The threat to drivers’ safety caught fans’ attention, who rallied for suitable changes.
That led to the FIA and F1 taking note and introducing a cooling mechanism that takes air from the outside of the car and drives it inside the cockpit. The ruling body even contemplated introducing an air-conditioning mechanism. That plan, however, has faced opposition from teams, owing to the concerns of added weight to the car.
The tire blanket ban
The FIA planned on phasing out the electric tire blankets by 2025 because of their environmental impact. The decision was initially welcomed by the fans. That was until the drivers raised safety concerns.
The drivers and teams pointed out the drop in grip when the tires had low temperatures. That, in turn, could pose a threat of some serious accidents. The vocal opposition garnered fans’ support, resulting in the ruling body pausing the tire blanket ban.
Will GPDA going public make any difference?
The abovementioned incidents are examples of the impact fans have on modern-day F1 racing. With the audience growing multifold each year, their perspective is of utmost importance for the sport and its governing bodies.
The GPDA seems to have got a grasp of the phenomenon and the decision to go public through social media proves it. Their very first post has already caused a massive stir and could even lead to some desirable changes.
However, the refusal to pay attention by F1 and the FIA could also set an adverse precedent. Therefore, the stakeholders will surely tread carefully.
But one thing is for sure — drivers will have a voice to express their collective concerns. If not anything else, it could prove to be a positive step in raising awareness and sensitizing fans towards drivers’ concerns even more.
