Webber sees more stable GPDA

That is the view of newly elected GPDA director Mark Webber, who claims that Michael Schumacher's departure as a director and Fernando Alonso's involvement should bring greater stability to the drivers' body.

As autosport.com revealed yesterday, Alonso has joined Webber and Ralf Schumacher in becoming a director of the GPDA, following a vote in Friday's meeting at Shanghai.

"I think things will get even more stable inside now," Webber told autosport.com, referring to the frequent clashes of opinion that several drivers have had with Schumacher in the past. "It has been a pretty interesting for the last 15 months inside for everyone.

"It is just that sometimes, with Michael, there have been other agendas. That is sometimes good and sometimes bad for us as a group. That won't be there any more."

Webber thinks it was vital for the GPDA to get Alonso involved, with the world champion having previously been indifferent to the drivers' body and rarely attending their meetings.

"It is great to have him. It was a really good scalp for us to get Fernando on board. There are many guys who can do what he can do, like Nick Heidfeld and Jenson Button, but we need some leadership.

"No one is more important or less important in the body, but it is really good to have the world champion in the front line for us."

And with Alonso having made clear on Friday that he wanted to get the GPDA's focus back on safety, Webber is optimistic that their push for better standards will gather a new momentum.

It is understood that the main issue now is on getting improvements made at Jerez for testing.

"There has been a long slog for us over the safety issue," explained Webber. "David [Coulthard], Jarno [Trulli] and Michael have done a great job getting it to where it is now, and we have now got to keep it together.

"It is not rocket science what we are doing, because you have just got to look at it from the drivers' perspective. But the best way to get the bit of sting on things is if we work together and are a voice together.

"If we talk on our own, with our own opinions, it is not as strong. That is why we have got to be together. I think we will be alright."