David Sanchez (engineer)

Last updated

David Sanchez
Nationality French
Occupation Engineer
Known forFormula One engineer

David Sanchez is a French Formula One engineer. He has been employed by the Renault, Ferrari, and McLaren Formula One teams. As of 2024, he serves as Executive Technical Director at Alpine.

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 Formula One team as a junior aerodynamicist in 2005. [1] He moved to McLaren 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. [2]

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. [3] In 2021, Sanchez was promoted again to chief engineer, vehicle concept, leading the design, and development of the 2022 Ferrari car. [4]

Sanchez left Ferrari in March 2023, [5] 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, as the role he had envisioned was "not aligned with the reality of the position". [7] On 2 May 2024, Alpine announced his appointment as Executive Technical Director. [8] [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

McLaren Racing Limited is a British motor racing team based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. The team is a subsidiary of the McLaren Group, which owns a majority of the team. McLaren is best known as a Formula One chassis constructor, the second-oldest active team and the second-most successful Formula One team after Ferrari, having won 186 races, 12 Drivers' Championships, and eight Constructors' Championships. McLaren also has a history in American open wheel racing as both an entrant and a chassis constructor, and has won the Canadian-American Challenge Cup (Can-Am) sports car racing championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renault in Formula One</span> Formula One activities of Renault

Renault, a French automobile manufacturer, has been associated with Formula One as both team owner and engine manufacturer for various periods since 1977. In 1977, the company entered Formula One as a constructor, introducing the turbo engine to Formula One with its EF1 engine. In 1983, Renault began supplying engines to other teams. Although the Renault team had won races, it withdrew at the end of 1985. Renault engines continued to be raced until 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian Newey</span> British engineer and car designer (born 1958)

Adrian Martin Newey, is a British Formula One engineer. He was the chief technical officer of the Red Bull Racing F1 team until he resigned in May 2024. On 7 September 2024 he signed with Aston Martin Racing as a shareholder and the Managing Technical Partner. Newey has enjoyed success in both Formula One and IndyCar racing, working as a race engineer, an aerodynamicist, a designer, and a technical director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Bell (motorsport)</span> British Formula One technical director (born 1958)

Robert Charles Bell is a Formula One engineer and technical director, best known for his work with the Renault Formula One team. He is currently the Executive Director - Technical for the Aston Martin F1 Team.

Nikolas Tombazis is a racing car designer who has worked in Formula One since 1992 for the Benetton, McLaren, and Ferrari teams.

James Key is a British engineer who has worked in Formula One. He is currently the technical director of Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Fry</span> British motorsports engineer (born 1964)

Pat Fry is a British motorsports engineer. Primarily working in Formula One, he has previously held positions with the Benetton, McLaren, Ferrari, Manor Racing, and Renault/Alpine teams. As of 2023, Fry is the chief technical officer for Williams Grand Prix Engineering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zak Brown</span> American racing driver and businessman

Zakary Challen Brown is an American businessman and former professional racing driver, currently residing in England. He is the chief executive officer of McLaren Racing. Born and raised in California, Brown raced professionally around the world for ten years before developing his skills in motorsport's business and commercial worlds.

John Alastair Iley is a British motor racing aerodynamicist, who was formerly the technical director for the Caterham F1 team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McLaren MCL33</span> Formula One racing car

The McLaren MCL33 is a Formula One racing car designed and constructed by McLaren to compete in the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship. The car was driven by two-time World Drivers' Champion Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne, with additional testing and development work carried out by reigning European Formula 3 champion Lando Norris and McLaren's regular test driver Oliver Turvey. The MCL33 is the first car built by McLaren to use a customer Renault engine after the team terminated its engine supply deal with Honda after three years and also first McLaren car to utilize a French-licensed engine manufacturer since the Peugeot-powered McLaren MP4/9 in 1994. It made its competitive debut at the 2018 Australian Grand Prix. The car was launched with an orange and blue livery designed as a tribute to some of the team's earliest cars. Currently Fernando Alonso’s MCL33 is on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oscar Piastri</span> Australian racing driver (born 2001)

Oscar Jack Piastri is an Australian racing driver, currently competing in Formula One for McLaren.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renault R.S.19</span> Formula One racing car

The Renault R.S.19 is a Formula One racing car designed and constructed by the Renault F1 Team to compete during the 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship. The chassis was designed by Nick Chester, Chris Cooney, Martin Tolliday, Simon Virrill and Pete Machin with Marcin Budkowski overseeing the design and production of the car as executive technical director and Rémi Taffin leading the powertrain design. The car was driven by Nico Hülkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo. The car made its competitive debut at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McLaren MCL35</span> Formula One racing car, used in 2020 and 2021

The McLaren MCL35 is a Formula One car that was designed under the direction of James Key and constructed by McLaren to compete in the Formula One World Championship. The car was originally intended to compete in the 2020 season only, but as the championship was heavily disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the lifespan of all 2020 cars was extended into 2021. McLaren produced an upgraded version of the car, the McLaren MCL35M, for the 2021 championship as the team returned to using Mercedes engines. Both variants of the car were considered competitive and the team's results improved considerably during the two seasons it was used in, with McLaren regularly the third-fastest team and significantly closer to the leading teams than had been the case since the turbo-hybrid era began in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renault R.S.20</span> Renault F1 Teams 2020 Formula One racing car

The Renault R.S.20 is a Formula One car designed by the Renault F1 Team to compete in the 2020 Formula One World Championship.

Dirk Laurie de Beer is a South African Formula One aerodynamicist. He was most recently the head of aerodynamics at the Alpine team until March 2024.

Rob Marshall is a British Formula One engineer for McLaren, being their Chief Designer leading their technical team after initially being hired as the Technical Director for Engineering and Design. He previously had a leading role in the Red Bull Racing team from 2006-2024.

Mike Elliott is a British Formula One aerodynamicist. He was the chief technical officer at the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. He left Mercedes in October 2023.

Jarrod Murphy is a British Formula One aerodynamicist. He is currently the aerodynamics director at the Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport Formula One team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpine F1 Team</span> French-owned Formula One racing team

Alpine F1 Team, currently racing as BWT Alpine F1 Team for sponsorship reasons, is the name under which the Enstone-based Formula One team has been competing since the start of the 2021 Formula One World Championship. Formerly named Renault F1 Team and owned by the French automotive company Groupe Renault as well as Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance, the team was rebranded for 2021 to promote Renault's sports car brand, Alpine, and continues to serve as Renault's works team. The chassis and managerial side of the team is based in Enstone, Oxfordshire, England, and the Renault-branded engine side of the team is based in Viry-Châtillon, a suburb of Paris, France. The team competes with a French licence.

Marcin Budkowski is a Polish Formula One engineer. He was notably the executive director of Alpine Formula One team.

References

  1. ↑ "Conférence Ferrari F1 contre le cancer 2016" (in French). ISAE-ENSMA officiel. 13 June 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2024– via YouTube.
  2. ↑ Freeman, Glenn (12 May 2021). "The Unknown Visionary Leading Ferrari Out Of F1 Turmoil". The Race. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  3. ↑ Lewin, Andrew (12 August 2016). "Ferrari appoints new chief aerodynamicist". F1i.com. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  4. ↑ "Ferrari complete technical reorganisation ahead of 2021 season". Formula1.com. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  5. ↑ Noble, Jonathan (23 March 2023). "Key out, Sanchez in as McLaren restructures F1 team". Autosport. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  6. ↑ Noble, Jonathan (23 March 2024). "Key out, Sanchez in as McLaren restructures F1 team". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  7. ↑ "McLaren Formula 1 Team announces organisational updates". McLaren.com. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "Sanchez joins Alpine as technical head after leaving McLaren". Reuters. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  9. ↑ "Alpine appoint David Sanchez as executive technical director". BBC Sport. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  10. ↑ Mee, Lydia (2 May 2024). "F1 News: Alpine Signs New Executive Technical Director After Shock McLaren Exit". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.