Following his sudden departure from McLaren just a few weeks ago, David Sanchez has landed on his feet as he returns to Enstone and joins Alpine.
The French engineer had previously been employed as a junior aerodynamicist at Renault from 2005 to 2007. However, he is now rejoining the company in a more senior position as Alpine’s executive technical director.
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After a decade of being associated with Ferrari, Sanchez returned to McLaren at the beginning of this season. However, he departed merely three months later due to a disagreement regarding his designated position.
It was anticipated that he would have to take a gardening leave, as is customary for senior F1 personnel. However, Alpine has verified that he will start working with the team today under the supervision of team principal and vice president of Alpine Motorsports, Bruno Famin.
Sanchez expressed his enthusiasm for the new opportunity at Alpine, stating that he is eagerly anticipating returning to Enstone, the very place where his Formula 1 journey began.
“This team has consistently attracted a multitude of exceptional individuals and it is evident that there is immense untapped potential. We are faced with a significant responsibility to enhance our performance on the track, and it is precisely this kind of challenge that drives me. I am fully prepared to embark on this journey and eagerly anticipate collaborating once again with the Enstone-Viry technical teams, with the sole objective of restoring consistent triumph to this remarkable team.”
Famin expressed his delight in having David return to Enstone, where he began his career in 2005. This appointment is crucial in ensuring that we are maximizing our efforts as a team and prioritizing the necessary performance areas.
“It is evident that our car’s performance and development trajectory have not progressed adequately in alignment with our team’s ambitions. We eagerly anticipate the arrival of David and his collaboration in our unwavering dedication to achieving ultimate success.”
Sanchez has taken on a new position where he will be in charge of the technical department at Enstone. His responsibilities will include overseeing the team’s performance, engineering, and aerodynamic areas.
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Alpine has recently implemented a comparable technical structure to McLaren, appointing Sanchez as the leader of their three-pronged team. Under his guidance, Ciaron Pilbeam, Joe Burnell, and David Wheater, serving as technical directors of performance, engineering, and aerodynamics respectively, will all report directly to him.
When he left McLaren, team principal Andrea Stella noted that the role had undergone changes since they initially reached an agreement over a year ago.
“The team leadership and David Sanchez have engaged in thoughtful discussions, resulting in a mutual decision for David to depart from the team,” Stella commented on the move.
After carefully considering together, it became clear that the role, responsibilities, and aspirations linked to David’s position did not match our initial expectations when he agreed to join us in February 2023.
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