David Sanchez (engineer)

Last updated

David Sanchez
Nationality French
CitizenshipFrench
Occupation Engineer
Known forFormula One engineer

David Sanchez is a French Formula One engineer. He has been employed by the Renault, Ferrari and McLaren teams. [1]

Career

After graduating from the École nationale supérieure de mécanique et d'aérotechnique Sanchez started his motorsport career working as an aerodynamicist for the Renault F1 team as a junior aerodynamicist in 2005. [2] He moved to McLaren Racing in 2007 initially as a senior aerodynamicist before progressing onto becoming an aerodynamics team leader being a part of the team that developed the innovative F-Duct seen in the McLaren MP4-25. [3] Seeking a new challenge Sanchez decided to join Ferrari in October 2012 as a Principle Aerodynamicist, later replacing the departing Dirk de Beer as chief aerodynamicist in 2016 before heading up the entire department in 2019. [4] In 2021 Sanchez was promoted again to Chief Engineer, Vehicle Concept leading the design and development of the 2022 Ferrari car. [5]

Sanchez left Ferrari in March 2023 and entered a period of gardening leave, before returning to McLaren as technical director of car concept and performance, effective 2024, replacing James Key. [6]

He left McLaren by mutual consent on 2 April 2024, due to the role he had envisioned being "not aligned with the reality of the position". [7]

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References

  1. "Key out, Sanchez in as McLaren restructures F1 team". www.autosport.com. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  2. "Conférence Ferrari F1 contre le cancer 2016". ISAE-ENSMA officiel.
  3. "THE UNKNOWN VISIONARY LEADING FERRARI OUT OF F1 TURMOIL". therace.com. 12 May 2021.
  4. "Ferrari appoints new chief aerodynamicist". f1i. 12 August 2016.
  5. "Ferrari complete technical reorganisation ahead of 2021 season". F1.com.
  6. Noble, Jonathan (23 March 2023). "Key out, Sanchez in as McLaren restructures F1 team". Motorsport.com . Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  7. "McLaren Formula 1 Team announces organisational updates". www.mclaren.com. Retrieved 2 April 2024.