Carlos Sainz lands new F1 role as Sebastian Vettel’s replacement

Carlos Sainz will become a Grand Prix Drivers' Association director ahead of the F1 2025 season.

He will replace Sebastian Vettel, who retired from F1 at the end of 2022 and stepped down from the GDPA last year, in the role.

Sainz said: "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."

Carlos Sainz joins GDPA as a director

The GDPA also includes Mercedes driver George Russell, chairman Alex Wurz and Anastasia Fowle.

Wurz said: "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 has moved from Ferrari to Williams for the new season.

Now he has another important role on his plate as a representative of his fellow drivers.

The GDPA was set up in the 1960s and focused mainly on safety issues.

The organisation helped to bring in the Halo to F1 cars.

More recently, the GDPA has fought the corner of F1 drivers in matters against the FIA.

Several F1 drivers have criticised the FIA’s clampdown on swearing.

The GDPA wrote a letter to the FIA last season asking to be treated like adults, in response to Max Verstappen being hit with a community service punishment for swearing in an official press conference.