McLaren separates from its technical director

It seems that the difficult start to the season McLaren claimed its first victim. Last in the constructors' championship with no points scored after two Grands Prix, the Woking team decided to act quickly to try to stop the bleeding. This Thursday, the team announced that James Key, who had held the position of technical director since 2019, was leaving his position following a desire for restructuring desired by Zak Brown and Andrea Stella. 

“The team made the decision to no longer entrust a single executive technical director with overseeing all technical operations, we learned in the press release. Instead, it will establish an executive technical team of the F1 made up of three new specialist technical directors, who will report directly to the team director, Andrea Stella. James Key, Executive Technical Director, has left the team as part of this restructuring.

David Sanchez returns to McLaren

As a reminder, from the pre-season testing in Bahrain, McLaren had warned that the start of the season would be difficult. In question, a timing problem in the design of the MCL60 of 2023, linked to the technical regulatory adjustment concerning the increase in the general ride height of around 15mm, decided last summer by the FIA ​​to combat widespread porpoising. In March, Andrea Stella therefore warned that the real 2023 car would only be delivered to Baku (April 28-30). Is this part of what cost Key his job? It's hard not to imagine it.

Zak Brown is at the helm at McLaren. ©DPPI

The position of technical director will therefore be occupied by three men simultaneously. First Peter Prodromou, who has 32 years of Formula 1 under his belt and who will be in charge of Aerodynamics. He will report to Giuseppe Pesce, who will manage the department operationally. Neil Houldey, who has been with the team since 2006, will be in charge of the engineering and design department. Note an important return, that of David Sanchez, the one who was at the head of the design of the Ferrari F1-75 of 2022 and the SF-23 of this year.

A three-headed organization 

After ten years at Ferrari, the Spaniard is back to oversee the car's concept and performance branch, but only from January 1, 2024, due to the period of forced inactivity observed during a departure of an employee of one F1 team for another.

Also, Piers Thynne takes on the expanded role of Formula 1 team operations director, to support team principal Andrea Stella in her mission to raise standards at McLaren, to be in a position of strength to compete at the head of the grid. We know that McLaren is indeed awaiting delivery of its wind tunnel and also hopes to be able to count on a state-of-the-art simulator in the years to come. 

McLaren Racing statement on organizational changes within our Formula 1 team.

- McLaren (@ McLarenF1) March 23, 2023

“This reorganization is the result of several months of work and comes ahead of several new key infrastructure projects which are expected to come online in phases throughout 2023, we read in the press release. Additionally, the team has undertaken a sustained recruitment drive to increase technical capabilities, and some high-level appointments have already been made. This strategic approach, based on organizational restructuring, new infrastructure and increased headcount, lays the foundations for a stronger and more innovative Formula 1 team to ensure its future success.”

When he appointed James Key in 2019, Zak Brown put an end to a three-headed organization made up of Peter Prodromou, Matt Morris and Tim Goss, in the hope of making operations more fluid. Four years later, a complete reversal has been initiated. After all, sometimes the best soups are made in old pots! 

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