The Grand Prix Drivers' Association or GPDA is effectively the "union" of Formula One drivers. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming
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History
The GPDA was founded in 1961 and was active during the 1960s and 1970s. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Then, as now, the GPDA's primary objective was to improve and maintain safety standards. Safety standards are standards designed to ensure the Safety of products activities or processes etc This led to boycotts of the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in 1969 and the Nürburgring in 1970 and after 1976. The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race The Nürburgring, known as simply " The Ring " by enthusiasts is a Motorsport Race track in Nürburg, Germany.
The organisation was disbanded during the 1982 Formula One season due to the effects of the changing commercial organisation of F1 and the conflicts between FOCA and FIA. The 1982 Formula One season was the 33rd FIA Formula One World Championship season The Formula One Constructors' Association (FOCA is an organization of the Chassis builders (constructors who design and build the cars that race in the FIA
The GPDA was reformed over the weekend of the 1994 Monaco Grand Prix, following the deaths of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, as well as the serious accident of Rubens Barrichello, at the San Marino Grand Prix two weeks earlier. The 1994 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 15 1994 at the Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo. Ayrton Senna da Silva ( pronounced, March 21, 1960 &ndash May 1, 1994) was a Brazilian racing driver and triple Roland Ratzenberger ( July 4, 1960 &ndash April 30, 1994) was an Austrian Racing driver who died during qualifying for the Rubens Gonçalves Barrichello (born May 23 1972 in São Paulo) is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver currently driving for The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 1 1994 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola, Italy.
Membership and Leadership
Membership of GPDA is not compulsory. Despite this, until recently all drivers were members. Jacques Villeneuve resigned from the association in a meeting directly following the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix. Personal and early life Jacques Villeneuve was born in the Canadian city of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to then soon to be Formula One driver Gilles The 2006 Monaco Grand Prix was the seventh race of the 2006 Formula One World Championship Joining the GPDA costs £2,000. The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency [1]
The members vote to decide their leaders. Currently there are three directors of GPDA, one of whom is the chairman. Pedro de la Rosa is the chairman [2] and Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso are the other directors. Pedro Martínez de la Rosa (born February 24 1971 in Barcelona, Spain) is a Spanish Formula One driver currently Early career Mark Webber was born in Queanbeyan, New South Wales, son of Alan the local Motorcycle dealer Fernando Alonso Díaz (born July 29, 1981 in Oviedo, Spain) is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time [3]
Current issues
During the 2005 season the GPDA became increasingly involved in the politics (and controversy) of Formula One.
Following the United States Grand Prix the GPDA issued a statement supporting the case of the Michelin teams in the FIA World Motorsport Council. The 2005 United States Grand Prix was one of the most controversial Significantly, though the majority of drivers signed the statement, Michael Schumacher did not. He claimed that he was not asked to, but would not have done so anyway. 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 president Max Mosley, scheduled for the British Grand Prix, was cancelled by Mosley due to statements made by David Coulthard. Max Rufus Mosley (born 13 April 1940 is president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA a non-profit association that represents the interests of The 2005 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 8 July 10 July 2005 at Silverstone. 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 [a 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".
See also
References
- ^ BBC News Online: Hamilton stance on union 'wrong'
- ^ "F1-Live.com: De la Rosa gets a new role in the GPDA"
- ^ "Autosport.com: Alonso elected as GPDA director ". For other people of this name see Jackie Stewart (disambiguation. Professor Eric Sidney Watkins, MD, OBE, FRCS (born September 6, 1928) is a world-renowned English neurosurgeon