Former McLaren Technical Director James Key will be part of the Sauber Group to bolster Audi transition as the German producer ramps up its preparation for its works entry in 2026.
With the Sauber Motorsport making ready to develop into a works workforce with Audi in 2026, the group is consistently taking essential step in direction of its entry. In January 2023, Andreas Seidl has been appointed their new Group CEO. The former McLaren Team Principal is about to supervise Audi’s entry to Formula 1 in 2026.
Sauber Motorsport has now introduced that Key, who has greater than 25 years’ value of expertise in Formula One, will be part of the Hinwil squad on September 1st, 2023, taking up the place from Jan Monchaux.
Key started his F1 profession with Jordan Grand Prix the place he lined numerous engineering roles, together with race engineer. In 2005, the Briton grew to become Formula One’s youngest-ever Technical Director, on the age of 33; and he retained that place as the workforce grew to become Midland F1, Spyker F1 and ultimately Force India.
He then joined the Sauber F1 Team as Technical Director for the 2010 season earlier than turning into the Technical Director at Scuderia Toro Rosso. He then made the transfer to McLaren Racing forward of the 2019 season the place he took on the function of Technical Director underneath the course of then-Team Principal, Andreas Seidl.
Sauber Group CEO Andreas Seidl commented: “I’m delighted to welcome James again house to Hinwil as he joins us to form the way forward for this workforce. The operation he’ll discover has modified quite a bit since his time right here, however the identical drive, the identical dedication that contributed to creating the workforce profitable in his earlier expertise are nonetheless the identical: I’m certain that, along with this very gifted and dedicated workforce, we can proceed on the trail of development on which we now have embarked.
“James’s appointment is an important step on this journey: 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 workforce. He will lead the transformation strategy of the technical facet of the workforce, giving us the instruments and course we have to deal with the long run.
“I also want to thank Jan for his precious contribution to taking Sauber to where it is now, following our most successful season in a decade, in which we climbed to sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship,” concluded Seidl.
NEWS: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake pronounces that James Key will be part of the workforce as its Technical Director, beginning on September 1st, 2023.
James’s appointment is an announcement of intent for the workforce as Sauber Motorsport prepares to develop into a works workforce in 2026.
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— Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake (@alfaromeostake) June 7, 2023
James Key added: “I’m delighted to be returning to Hinwil to work with previous, and new, colleagues at Sauber; I’ve very fond reminiscences of my time there earlier than. I’m wanting ahead to main the technical facet of the workforce at one of the crucial vital junctures of its lengthy historical past as we head in direction of a brand new and thrilling future.
“There is a big quantity of labor forward of us, however I’m assured that each single member of our workforce working in Hinwil may have the dedication, willpower and starvation to get us to the highest.
“We know it will require time, effort and perseverance, and the dividends from this work will only arrive over the next two seasons and beyond, but we have a journey ahead of us and a roadmap to follow which I am eager to get started. I am grateful to Andreas for the confidence he has placed in me and look forward to repaying his trust and working closely with him on the challenges and ambitions ahead,” Key concluded.
