Alfa Romeo has introduced the return of James Key to the crew as its new technical director following his departure from McLaren.
Key beforehand labored on the Sauber-run crew between 2010 and 2012. He then moved on to Toro Rosso (now often known as AlphaTauri) and was employed by McLaren to go up its technical division in 2019.
Nonetheless he was let go by McLaren earlier this 12 months as new crew principal Andrea Stella introduced a shake-up of its technical division in response to its poor begin to the 2023 season. Along with returning to a well-known crew, Key will likely be reunited with McLaren’s former crew principal Andreas Seidl, who’s now group CEO at Sauber.
Seidl stated Key will discover the crew’s operation “has modified loads since his time right here” over a decade in the past. “However the identical drive, the identical dedication that contributed to creating the crew profitable in his earlier expertise are nonetheless the identical: I’m certain that, along with this very gifted and dedicated crew, we can proceed on the trail of progress on which we have now embarked.”
Alfa Romeo’s tie-up with Sauber will finish after this season because the crew prepares for its new works energy unit programme with Audi, which can hit the monitor in 2026.
“James’s appointment is a vital step on this journey,” Seidl continued. “He has an excellent quantity of expertise within the sport, not simply as technical director, but in addition in numerous different roles inside the technical organisation of a crew.
“He’ll lead the transformation technique of the technical aspect of the crew, giving us the instruments and path we have to sort out the longer term.”
Key will take over from Jan Monchaux when he joins the crew at first of September.
“I additionally wish to thank Jan for his treasured contribution to taking Sauber to the place it’s now, following our most profitable season in a decade, wherein we climbed to sixth place within the constructors’ championship,” Seidl added.
Key stated he’s “wanting ahead to main the technical aspect of the crew at one of the vital important junctures of its lengthy historical past as we head in direction of a brand new and thrilling future.
“There’s a enormous quantity of labor forward of us, however I’m assured that each single member of our crew working in Hinwil may have the dedication, dedication and starvation to get us to the highest. We all know it would require time, effort and perseverance, and the dividends from this work will solely arrive over the subsequent two seasons and past, however we have now a journey forward of us and a roadmap to comply with which I’m desirous to get began.”
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