Pedro de la Rosa wishes to leave the presidency of the GPDA

Pedro de la Rosa, current test and reserve driver within the Scuderia Ferrari, wishes to step down as president of the GPDA, the association responsible for representing drivers in Formula 1.

Currently, he forms a triumvirate alongside Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel, who are his advisors within the association. However, last weekend, in Melbourne, the 43-year-old Spaniard made it clear to his colleagues that he no longer wanted to preside over the association, perhaps feeling somewhat distanced now from the track and the recent changes related to single-seater driving.

The Barcelona native, who has been part of the McLaren and Sauber teams, is expected to hand over to his successor during the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend. The profile sought is an experienced driver, and Jenson Button’s name naturally stands out. However, Fernando Alonso, who is very close to De la Rosa, as well as Lewis Hamilton or Sebastian Vettel, are also credible candidates.

Pedro de la Rosa has been the president of the GPDA since 2012. This association, created in 1962 at the initiative of Stirling Moss and Jo Bonnier, went dormant for several seasons and resumed its activities in 1994 following the nightmare weekend at Imola. Indeed, the association is primarily concerned with driver safety. Several drivers have since taken turns in its presidency, including Nick Heidfeld and Rubens Barrichello.