(Motorsport-Total.com) – The public had to wait a long time for a reaction from the Formula 1 drivers to FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem‘s “muzzle” regulation. This reaction is now available: The Formula 1 Drivers’ Union (GPDA) has dealt with one Statement on social networks addressed directly to the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and criticized its latest guidelines.
GPDA director George Russell with his Formula 1 colleague Lando Norris Zoom Download
And this criticism goes like this: “The members of the GPDA are professional racing drivers who compete in the premier class of motorsport. They are the gladiators who conjure up a great show for the fans every weekend.”
“When it comes to swearing, there is a difference between swearing to offend others and swearing as one does, for example, about bad weather or about material things like a Formula 1 car or a driving situation.”
“We would also like to encourage the FIA President to consider his own tone and choice of words when speaking to or about our members, whether in public or elsewhere.”
“Our members are adults. They don’t need to be given instructions through the media when it comes to things as trivial as wearing jewelry or underwear.”
In doing so, the drivers’ union is making direct reference to controversial decisions made by the world association in the recent past, when – suddenly and for the first time in years – corresponding regulations were monitored and enforced that had not been monitored and enforced for years. At the time, this caused great irritation among Formula 1 drivers like Lewis Hamilton.
GPDA demands more transparency from the FIA
And the union doesn’t leave it at that, but goes even further: It criticizes FIA President bin Sulayem for a lack of transparency, even though bin Sulayem himself had once advertised during the election campaign that he wanted to make the world association more transparent.
Now the GPDA writes: “We have taken the position on countless occasions that fines for drivers are not appropriate in our sport. We have therefore been contacting the FIA President for three years now, asking for details and the underlying strategy on how to do so These fines come into play and how the proceeds are used.”
“We have also expressed our concerns that the fines are giving the sport a negative image. We therefore once again ask the FIA President to create financial transparency and enter into a direct, open dialogue with us. Everyone involved (FIA, Formula 1, the teams and the GPDA) should decide together how and where the money is spent for the benefit of the sport.”
GPDA emphasizes desire for “constructive cooperation”
Finally, the drivers’ union emphasizes its desire to “work constructively with everyone involved” and expressly includes the FIA President. The goal is to promote “our great sport for the benefit of everyone who works in it, who pays for it, who follows it and loves it.” Postscript: “We are making our contribution.” Which can imply: Others don’t do that. But the latter remains unspoken.
The statement ends with a greeting from the unnamed GPDA directors and the chairmen of the drivers’ union and “on behalf of all Formula 1 drivers”.
Former Formula 1 driver and current TV expert Alexander Wurz is currently the GPDA chairman. The directors are Mercedes driver George Russell and lawyer Anastasia Fowle. The latter is the first non-racing driver to hold a senior GPDA position.
Neither the world association nor FIA President bin Sulayem have yet reacted to the statement.
