Carlos Sainz secures new role as Sebastian Vettel replaced
Williams driver Carlos Sainz addresses the media at F1 75 launch event in London
New Williams driver Carlos Sainz has landed a new role as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) ahead of the F1 2025 season.
Sainz replaces four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel, who has vacated his position in the F1 drivers’ union last year.
Carlos Sainz replaced Sebastian Vettel as GPDA director
In a statement posted to social media, 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.”
Sainz, who is preparing for his 11th full season having made his debut in 2015, joins Mercedes driver George Russell as a director of the GPDA, along with chairman Alex Wurz and Anastasia Fowle.
Carlos Sainz and Williams: A marriage made in heaven?
? Carlos Sainz to Williams: Five reasons why surprise F1 2025 move isn’t as crazy as it sounds
? How Max Verstappen vs Carlos Sainz tensions resulted in Red Bull sacking spree
Wurz, the former McLaren and Williams driver, added: “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.”
Vettel has not raced competitively since he retired from F1 at the end of the 2022 campaign after two seasons with Aston Martin.
The 37-year-old has been persistently linked with an F1 comeback over recent years, with a test behind the wheel of Porsche’s hypercar last spring sparking rumours of a potential Le Mans 24 Hours entry.
However, Vettel is no longer believed to be in contention to race for Porsche in the World Endurance Championship.
Sainz previously replaced Vettel at Ferrari ahead of the 2021 season, claiming a total of four victories with the Italian team between 2021 and 2024.
The Spaniard was forced to make way for seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, whose shock move from Mercedes to Ferrari was announced last winter.
It meant Sainz and Hamilton were left in the unusual position of spending the entire 2024 campaign with their existing teams in the knowledge that they would part ways at the end of the year.
More on Carlos Sainz and Williams
Sainz responded to the news of his departure by producing the most complete season of his F1 career, claiming two victories in Australia and Mexico.
His win in Melbourne was particularly notable as it came just two weeks after Sainz had been ruled out of the previous race in Saudi Arabia with appendicitis.
Sainz’s performances saw him attract interest from a number of teams with Mercedes, Red Bull, Audi F1 and Alpine all linked with the 30-year-old at one stage.
However, he opted to join Williams with a multi-year deal confirmed 24 hours after the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa last July.
Sainz received his first taste of Williams’ new car for the F1 2025 season, the FW47, at a shakedown at Silverstone last week.
Read next: Carlos Sainz’s ‘two top drivers’ dig after Red Bull snub
