McLaren has announced the departure of technical director of car concept and performance David Sanchez after just three months with its Formula 1 team.
Sanchez was one of two high-profile signings for McLaren last year, announced as joining from Ferrari at a similar time to the team securing the services of Red Bull’s Rob Marshall. The pair started work in January but McLaren has now announced a restructuring in which Sanchez will depart with immediate effect and no “gardening leave” period, as the scope of the role did not match expectations.
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“This further step in the evolution of the structure of the technical department and of the working model within the team signify our commitment to constantly enhancing our technical capabilities and workflows for greater efficiency and effectiveness,” team principal Andrea Stella said.
“Following thoughtful discussions between David Sanchez and the team leadership, the mutual decision has been taken for David to leave the team. Upon our joint reflection, it became apparent that the role, responsibilities, and ambitions associated with David’s position did not align with our original expectations when he agreed to join us in February 2023.
“Recognizing this misalignment, both David and I agreed that it would be best to part ways now, so to enable him to pursue other opportunities that will better leverage the full scale and breadth of his remarkable skillset. We greatly and gratefully value the contributions that David has made during his relatively short time with us, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Sanchez says McLaren acted fairly in terms of finding a solution for him when it became clear his new job was not of the expected scope.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this team,” Sanchez said. “While the role we envisioned and had agreed to was not aligned with the reality of the position I found, I leave with respect for the leadership, admiration for the dedication of my colleagues, and appreciation for the openness and honesty in which we discussed and arrived at this decision.
“I wish this team continued success as it continues its journey to the front of the grid where it belongs. I look forward to my next challenge within F1.”
Sanchez’s exit has prompted a number of job title changes, with Rob Marshall going from technical director of engineering and design to chief designer, Neil Houldey essentially being promoted into Marshall’s previous role as technical director of engineering, and Stella himself taking on responsibilities as technical director of performance until a permanent appointment is made. Peter Prodromou remains as technical director of aerodynamics.