Henri Durand

Last updated
Henri Durand
Born (1960-08-21) August 21, 1960 (age 63)
Toulouse, France
NationalityFrench
Alma mater Institut supérieur de l'aéronautique et de l'espace
Employer Toyota Racing Development
Known for Formula One cars aerodynamicst

Henri Durand (born 21 August 1960) is a French race car engineer who worked for several Formula One teams from 1985 to 2004.

Career

Durand was an alumnus from the Institut supérieur de l'aéronautique et de l'espace in Toulouse, France. He started his career at the Ligier team in 1985 as an aerodynamic technician. [1]

In 1987, he joined Ferrari and worked as an assistant to John Barnard. His first design was the Ferrari 639, which used a semi-automatic gearbox and active suspension. This car was later developed into the Ferrari 640, which was used in the 1989 season. [2]

In June 1990, he moved to the McLaren team, working as head of aerodynamics development alongside Neil Oatley. [3] Here, Durand oversees two engineering teams at once, namely the design team and the research and development team. He became one of the team's key figures in winning the constructors' title in the 1991 and 1998 seasons. He also supervised the construction of McLaren's new wind tunnel in Woking. [2] Durand stayed with the team until 2000 when he decided to return to his native country to join Prost Grand Prix as technical director. [4]

After Prost went bankrupt at the end of 2001, Durand joined Jordan in 2002 as the director of development. [5] He left the team in 2004 to join the IRL team Red Bull Cheever Racing and later was appointed as head of Mecachrome USA. [6] [7]

In 2007, he joined Panther Racing, this time as technical director. [8] He also worked as a consultant for Epsilon Euskadi. [9]

In 2010, he joined Toyota Racing Development as a senior engineering manager. [10]

Related Research Articles

McLaren Racing Limited is a British motor racing team based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor, the second oldest active team and the second most successful Formula One team after Ferrari, having won 183 races, 12 Drivers' Championships and 8 Constructors' Championships. McLaren also has a history of competing 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. The team is a subsidiary of the McLaren Group, which owns a majority of the team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Williams Grand Prix Engineering</span> British Formula One motor racing team and constructor

Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, currently racing in Formula One as Williams Racing, is a British Formula One team and constructor. It was founded by Frank Williams (1942–2021) and Patrick Head. The team was formed in 1977 after Frank Williams's earlier unsuccessful F1 operation: Frank Williams Racing Cars. The team is based in Grove, Oxfordshire, on a 60-acre (24 ha) site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alain Prost</span> French racing driver (born 1955)

Alain Marie Pascal Prost is a French retired racing driver and Formula One team owner. A four-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion, from 1987 until 2001 he held the record for most Grand Prix victories until Michael Schumacher surpassed Prost's total of 51 victories at the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix.

<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">1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 25, 1982 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the sixteenth and final race of the 1982 FIA Formula One World Championship, and the second and last F1 race to be held in Caesars Palace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1984 Italian Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1984 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on 9 September 1984. It was the fourteenth race of the 1984 Formula One World Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Australian Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1988 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Adelaide Street Circuit on 13 November 1988. It was the sixteenth and final race of the 1988 Formula One World Championship, and the last race for which turbocharged engines would be eligible until the 2014 Australian Grand Prix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1993 Italian Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1993 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on 12 September 1993. It was the thirteenth race of the 1993 Formula One World Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 Formula One World Championship</span> 56th season of FIA Formula One motor racing

The 2002 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 56th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It began on 3 March and ended on 13 October after seventeen races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1987 Formula One World Championship</span> 41st season of FIA Formula One motor racing

The 1987 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 41st season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1987 Formula One World Championship for Drivers and the 1987 Formula One World Championship for Constructors, which were contested concurrently over a sixteen-race series that commenced on 12 April and ended on 15 November. The World Championship for Drivers was won by Nelson Piquet, and the World Championship for Constructors by Williams-Honda. The season also encompassed the Jim Clark Trophy and the Colin Chapman Trophy, which were respectively contested by drivers and constructors of Formula One cars powered by naturally aspirated engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986 Formula One World Championship</span> 40th season of FIA Formula One motor racing

The 1986 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 40th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1986 Formula One World Championship for Drivers and the 1986 Formula One World Championship for Manufacturers, both of which commenced on 23 March and ended on 26 October after sixteen races. The Drivers' Championship was won by Alain Prost, and the Manufacturers' Championship was won by Williams-Honda, thus Honda became the first Japanese engine supplier World Champions of Formula One, and adding a constructors' title to Frank Williams' trophy collection. Prost was the first driver to win back-to-back Drivers' Championships since Jack Brabham in 1959 and 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1983 Formula One World Championship</span> 37th season of FIA Formula One motor racing

The 1983 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 37th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1983 Formula One World Championship for Drivers and the 1983 Formula One World Championship for Constructors, which were contested concurrently over a fifteen-race series that commenced on 13 March and ended on 15 October. Nelson Piquet won the Drivers' Championship, his second Formula One title and the first to be won by a driver using a turbocharged engine, while Ferrari won the Constructors' Championship. It was also the last Drivers' Championship won by a Brabham driver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1981 Formula One World Championship</span> 35th season of FIA Formula One motor racing

The 1981 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 35th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1981 Formula One World Championship for Drivers and the 1981 Formula One World Championship for Constructors, which were contested concurrently over a fifteen-race series that commenced on 15 March and ended on 17 October. Formula One cars also competed in the 1981 South African Grand Prix, although this was a Formula Libre race and was not part of the Formula One World Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Blundell</span> British racing driver (born 1966)

Mark Blundell is a British racing driver who competed in Formula One for four seasons, sports cars, and CART. He won the 1992 24 Hours of Le Mans. He was a Formula One presenter for the British broadcaster ITV until the end of the 2008 season when the TV broadcasting rights switched to the BBC. Blundell returned to the track in 2019, driving in the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for the Trade Price Cars team. Blundell has returned to the series in a new role for 2020 helping to form the latest name to line the grid - MB Motorsport as Sporting Director working with Laser Tools Racing. He is CEO of Europe wide sports management group, MB Partners.

The Japanese automobile manufacturer Honda has participated in Formula One, as an engine manufacturer and team owner, for various periods since 1964. Honda's involvement in Formula One began as a full team and engine entry in the 1964 season, and in 1965 they achieved their first victory at the Mexican Grand Prix. After further success with John Surtees, Honda withdrew at the end of the 1968 season due to difficulties selling road cars in the United States and Honda driver Jo Schlesser's fatal accident.

Michael Coughlan is a British motor racing engineer and designer. He was Chief Designer for the McLaren Formula One team from 2002 to 2007, where he was suspended for his part in the spygate scandal between McLaren and Ferrari, before his contract was subsequently terminated. He was then Chief Technical Officer for Williams F1 from June 2011 to July 2013, before abruptly stepping down "with immediate effect," according to the team.

<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 Alpine, McLaren, Ferrari, Manor Racing, and Benetton teams. As of 2023, Fry is the Chief Technical Officer for Williams Grand Prix Engineering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prost Grand Prix</span> French auto racing team

Prost Grand Prix was a Formula One racing team owned and managed by four-time Formula One world champion Alain Prost. The team participated in five seasons from 1997 to 2001.

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">Honda V10 engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The RA series of 3.5-litre and 3.0-litre, naturally-aspirated, V10 racing engines were made by Honda to compete in Formula One racing; between 1989 and 1990, and then again between 2000 and 2005. Between 1992 and 2000, the engines were also made by Mugen Honda. The customer engines were used by McLaren, Arrows, Lotus, Ligier, Tyrrell, Prost, and Jordan.

References

  1. ↑ Mattar, Rodrigo (19 October 2015). "Equipes históricas – Ligier, parte VI" (in Portuguese). Grande Premio. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Henri Durand". Inside F1, Inc. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  3. ↑ Boxall-Legge, Jake (14 January 2021). "How McLaren held off Williams". Autosport . Retrieved 13 May 2023– via PressReader.
  4. ↑ "New appointments at Prost". Inside F1, Inc. 2 November 2000. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  5. ↑ "Durand Joins Jordan as Director of Development". Autosport. 15 March 2002. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "Cheever Racing hires Henri Durand as Technical Director". Motorsport Network. 20 October 2004. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  7. ↑ ""We expect to run with the leaders", Carpentier". Auto 123. 17 February 2005. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  8. ↑ "Henri Durand". Old Racing Cars. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "Dos sueños para Valencia" (in Spanish). Super Deporte. 5 June 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  10. ↑ Kew, Matt (1 November 2018). "Be an engineer". Autosport . Retrieved 13 May 2023– via PressReader.
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.