“Major reorganization” led by Renault, departure of Nick Chester

There is movement at the Renault factory F1 Team ofenstone (Britain). Friday December 6, the Franco-English team announced nothing less than a “major reorganization plan for the technical department” across the Channel.

The main casualty of this reshuffle is the departure of Nick Chester, “placed on notice until the end of his contract”, indicates the official press release. The English engineer has held the position of Chassis Technical Director since 2013 and the Lotus era.

The chassis was also the main weak point of the Jaune-et-Noir in 2019. Only fifth in the Manufacturers' championship, Renault had pulled out all the stops on the development of the engine and the recruitment of Daniel Ricciardo, but did not take sufficient care of the chassis side.

“I enjoyed my nineteen years within a team where a wonderful spirit reigns”, commented Nick Chester, who experienced the Benetton, Renault, Lotus, and again Renault periods between 2000 and 2019.

“I worked with an incredibly loyal and talented group of people. I'm looking forward to a new challenge and wish everyone on the team the best for the future. »

“Nick has been a key part of Enstone for almost twenty years”, said Cyril Abiteboul, general director of Renault Sport Racing. “His passion for the team never wavered despite extremely difficult times. 

More recently, his commitment, technical knowledge and enthusiasm have allowed us to move from the back of the grid to the front of the chasing pack. We would like to sincerely thank Nick for all his contribution and wish him every success in the next stage of his career. »