Lando Norris has explained how he is "biased towards drivers and fans" in key GPDA meetings, where his new status as world champion carries extra weight.
The Grand Prix Drivers Association is the effective trade union of F1 drivers and meets to discuss topics of the day and to represent the drivers' views on these topics as a united force, as opposed to all 22 drivers voicing their own opinions independently of each other.
On the current grid, George Russell and Carlos Sainz serve as driver directors, with former F1 racer Alex Wurz the chairman. In the past, the likes of Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, and Fernando Alonso have all served as directors.
Norris is just one of four world champions on the current grid, with the others being Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen.
As a member of this rare group of senior drivers, Norris believes his voice has been given added weight in discussions, which is "cool", as he explained that his only "bias" in the meetings is to advocate for improving matters for drivers and the viewing fans.
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Norris explains new F1 weight
"I mean, the GPDA is obviously represented by a few drivers, but the input that they put in is our input as drivers," Norris told media, including RacingNews365.
"So it's not that they just decide what they want to decide; they decide what we decide as a collection of drivers.
"Obviously, I'm part of that, and maybe people listen to my voice more now than previously, and that's something that just comes with, I guess, the credit of winning the world championship.
"But it's not something I think you expect, but it is just respect, I think, at the end of the day, and that's a cool thing to earn through your career, but the GPDA is everyone.
"So it's not just me, but of course, if I have input, my input is just as valuable.
"I still want the best for the sport. I'm never biased. I would say anything I do, I do for what I want the sport to be.
"I'm biased towards drivers and fans more than rules and things like that."
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