McLaren Formula 1 boss Andrea Stella has revealed that the decision to allow David Sanchez to leave the team was made as he was “too senior” for his technical role.
McLaren announced earlier this month that Sanchez had departed three months into his stint as the squad’s new Technical Director of Car Concept and Performance.
The Woking-based side signed Sanchez from Ferrari and accepted an extensive gardening leave period for him to complete a revised three-pronged technical division.
However, Stella revealed that discussions with the Frenchman had led to the mutual resolution to cut ties due to a “misalignment” over his designated responsibilities.
Expanding on the saga further in China last weekend, Stella divulged that Sanchez, who began working in F1 back in 2005, upheld too much expertise for his position.
“I think we should look at Formula 1 teams like dynamic entities,” Stella said.
“And this is true for organizations as well, that if you want what’s happening in the ground that’s how you approach it.
“So since we talked and then we employed David which we go back to February 2023. In the meantime many things have happened at McLaren there’s been a complete reorganization of the technical department, an historical turnaround and we have established some workflows and [a] new structure itself.
“So to look at his position in this organisation. We had very good conversations, very open, always, like I said before, trying to think, what is the interest of McLaren? What is the interest of David? He’s a very senior person, very senior figure in Formula 1, and we kind of realised that to some extent he was almost too senior for the position that he was having.
“And we thought that, you know, opportunity even for his own career to pursue his ambitions at a different team.
“We came to this conclusion in an amicable and friendly way and we do hope that David is going to find a senior role in the very near future and I strongly believe that that will be the case.”
McLaren has rearranged its technical department amid Sanchez’s premature departure, with Rob Marshall, who was recruited from Red Bull, named as Chief Designer.
Meanwhile, Neil Houdlei has transitioned into the role of Technical Director for Engineering, with Peter Prodromou leading McLaren’s technical ranks on the aero side.
Stella has taken over the ‘Technical Director – Performance’ role on an interim basis until the British outfit identifies a suitable long-term replacement for the position.
Sanchez has been linked with a return to the Enstone-based squad amid Alpine’s disastrous start to 2024 seeing Technical Director Matt Harman resign from his role.
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