GPDA meeting cancelled by Mosley

The Grand Prix Drivers Association [GPDA] has accused the sport's governing body, and particularly president Max Mosley, of not paying enough respect to its attempts to improve safety in Formula One, following Mosley's decision to cancel a meeting with the drivers scheduled for Silverstone this weekend.

The cancellation was apparently in reaction to comments made by David Coulthard about the state of play in Formula One, quite aside from the safety aspect, but provoked the GPDA to release a copy of the letter addressed to Mosley in which the GPDA expressed concern over suggestions that the FIA might withdraw its backing for safety initiatives being put forward by the drivers themselves.

Those suggestions were apparently aired in a conversation between Mosley and Coulthard, in which the president is alleged to have opposed the drivers' support for Michelin and the seven Michelin teams at last week's World Motor Sport Council hearing in Paris. Hearsay has suggested that the tone of the conversation was 'threatening', although this has never been confirmed by the drivers' body. Ironically, the now open letter sent to Mosley did not carry Coulthard's signature, or those of Red Bull team-mate Christian Klien and world champion Michael Schumacher. The German's had been the only name missing from the original Paris document.

The latest letter - signed by 22 drivers including current test and reserve pilots - says that, not only is the GPDA 'concerned to learn that... [Mosley] suggested the FIA might withdraw support for the ongoing safety initiatives of the GPDA', but 'had also dissuaded driver representation in Paris for the World Motor Sport Council meeting'.

As well as discussing the goings-on at Indianapolis, in which the teams were pushing for a temporary chicane to be added before the final corner in an attempt for all 20 cars to race - a move blocked by the FIA - the Silverstone meeting was also supposed to begin addressing the GPDA's concerns over safety levels during testing, which fall far below those in place for grands prix.

"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," the letter continued.

Mosley, however, claimed that, by speaking to press, Coulthard had made 'calm discussion of a major safety issue.... impossible', even though the reported quotes dealt instead with the current qualifying and two-race engine rules.

Mark Webber, like Coulthard a director of the GPDA, has added his voice to the discontent over the rules, claiming that he risked his health during the French Grand Prix in order to guarantee a decent slot in the qualifying running order for Silverstone. The Australian suffered burns from excessive heat in the cockpit of his Williams-BMW, despite only finishing twelfth at Magny-Cours.

"There are some concerns from the GPDA after Indianapolis," Webber told the Press Association, "We work together, all the drivers, we are as one. I wish it had never happened, I really do. At the end of the day people turned up to see a race. There was absolutely no way in the world we wanted to pull out of a race, we wanted to run.

"We don't want to run the sport, but we are part of the whole deal. It's all about the drivers – the public come to see the drivers. Time will tell if the drivers have a voice when it comes to these matters."


The wheels continue to come off the wagon. I wonder if Mosley will make it out of this year?

 

I never said they weren't worthless, I always hated the qualiyfing format and single car especially. It needs to go back to two open sessions, case closed. As far as being unsafe, I think the penalties in case you change tires are unsafe. The time lost in the pits should be enough. Yes I do think the GPDA is concerned about safety, I would be too if it was my neck on the line. Nice how all the safety matter are handled by a bunch of *********s up in a tower that cancel meetings with the drivers instead of the drivers. Mosley should be forced out, without delay.

 

How was it the drivers? It was the FIA's choice to makes these rules changes, i doubt the drivers were even consulted. The FIA wanted to stop Ferrari's dominance.

 

Whist i'm sure there may be some of that going on, the whole point of the GPDA is safety. Everyone involved has said that should be thier focal point. Most of the rules changes weren't made for safety's sake they were made to "enhance the racing" which is why i doubt the GPDA was even consulted.

 

Of course, anything that stopped Ferrari dominance would be wonderful in thier eyes. As far as Webber getting fried in the car how did the new rules cause that? Last i heard Williams didn't know what caused it themselves. As far as the tires go, i've said before and i will again, the one tire rule is stupid, i never really liked it but the safety issuse to me are the penalties incurred if you change a tire. It makes the teams want to push the envelope on a tire that might be unsafe instead of changing it for fear of a penatly.

 

The new rules suck in general, pretty much all there is to it. I always hated single car, and this aggregate stuff is just plain stupid. I actually thought you were referring to the tire rule causing Webber to burn. My mistake.