Jackie Stewart urges F1 bosses to make changes after Lewis Hamilton comments – EXCLUSIVE
Jackie Stewart has called on F1 bosses to give more power to the Grand Prix Drivers' Association weeks after similar comments from Lewis Hamilton. The three-time world champion says the GPDA should "have more influence" on decisions about the sport.
He pointed out that the body was "much more powerful" when he was president of the organization. Speaking exclusively to Express Sport, he said: "I was the president of the Grand Prix Drivers Association when the GPDA was much more powerful than it is today. /p>
"I think that's wrong. I think we should have more influence. The GPDA was founded in 1961 with the aim of improving safety standards in sport.
Organization wielded staggering power and was essential in dictating the conditions followed by the sport. The GPDA was famous for boycotting several events, including the 1969 Belgian Grand Prix and the 1970 German Grand Prix.
READ MORE: Sir Jackie Stewart wants Lewis Hamilton to 'resign' from F1
The group was instrumental in removing the Nurburgring from the calendar after 1976 and also helped organize a drivers' strike during the 1982 South African Grand Prix. The organization was eventually disbanded but reformed after the death of Roland Ratzenberger at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994.
Members meet at most events, but the group has lost much of its power when it comes to making key decisions about the sport. The GPDA expressed their dissatisfaction with the sport in a letter to F1 bosses in 2016.
A few years later, in 2019, Lewis Hamilton argued that drivers should have more of a say in the new 2022 regulations. He hit back at F1 for allowing regulations to be decided by " people in power" while the pilots have no say.
DON'T MISSLewis Hamilton's 'greatest driver of all time' tag challenged: 'Not the same' [COMMENT]F1 legend Jackie Stewart offers a different perspective to Christian Horner [ANALYSIS ]Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen called 'too arrogant' by F1 icon [INSIGHT]
Hamilton demanded that GPDA members be more involved in the conversation as he claimed drivers can help the future of the sport. The Mercedes star also called on the GPDA to have more influence after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 20 drivers sat down for a meal ahead of the season finale on a departure for Sebastian Vettel, prompting Hamilton to sketch out the possible future of the organization. The Briton explained: "Maybe we'll make it an annual thing here, and maybe we'll add another in the year, but there's a lot we can do as GPDA, as a united group.< /p>
"We have a responsibility, we have a great platform, each of us, collectively, and there are a lot of things that F1 needs to push forward on the action front. That says we are doing a lot of things , sustainability and all of those things, but we have to make sure that we go all the way and do our best and maybe the GPDA can play a part in that."
Jackie Stewart has called on F1 bosses to give more power to the Grand Prix Drivers' Association weeks after similar comments from Lewis Hamilton. The three-time world champion says the GPDA should "have more influence" on decisions about the sport.
He pointed out that the body was "much more powerful" when he was president of the organization. Speaking exclusively to Express Sport, he said: "I was the president of the Grand Prix Drivers Association when the GPDA was much more powerful than it is today. /p>
"I think that's wrong. I think we should have more influence. The GPDA was founded in 1961 with the aim of improving safety standards in sport.
Organization wielded staggering power and was essential in dictating the conditions followed by the sport. The GPDA was famous for boycotting several events, including the 1969 Belgian Grand Prix and the 1970 German Grand Prix.
READ MORE: Sir Jackie Stewart wants Lewis Hamilton to 'resign' from F1
The group was instrumental in removing the Nurburgring from the calendar after 1976 and also helped organize a drivers' strike during the 1982 South African Grand Prix. The organization was eventually disbanded but reformed after the death of Roland Ratzenberger at the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994.
Members meet at most events, but the group has lost much of its power when it comes to making key decisions about the sport. The GPDA expressed their dissatisfaction with the sport in a letter to F1 bosses in 2016.
A few years later, in 2019, Lewis Hamilton argued that drivers should have more of a say in the new 2022 regulations. He hit back at F1 for allowing regulations to be decided by " people in power" while the pilots have no say.
DON'T MISSLewis Hamilton's 'greatest driver of all time' tag challenged: 'Not the same' [COMMENT]F1 legend Jackie Stewart offers a different perspective to Christian Horner [ANALYSIS ]Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen called 'too arrogant' by F1 icon [INSIGHT]
Hamilton demanded that GPDA members be more involved in the conversation as he claimed drivers can help the future of the sport. The Mercedes star also called on the GPDA to have more influence after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 20 drivers sat down for a meal ahead of the season finale on a departure for Sebastian Vettel, prompting Hamilton to sketch out the possible future of the organization. The Briton explained: "Maybe we'll make it an annual thing here, and maybe we'll add another in the year, but there's a lot we can do as GPDA, as a united group.< /p>
"We have a responsibility, we have a great platform, each of us, collectively, and there are a lot of things that F1 needs to push forward on the action front. That says we are doing a lot of things , sustainability and all of those things, but we have to make sure that we go all the way and do our best and maybe the GPDA can play a part in that."
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