McLaren parts with James Key

[erwin greven]

McLaren parts with James Key

McLaren have parted ways with Technical Director James Key as part of a series of organisational changes that the team hope will give it a solid foundation for long-term success.



Team Principal Andrea Stella took over from Andreas Seidl ahead of this season and has been evaluating the operation along with CEO Zak Brown as part of a project the team says began several months ago.


It comes after a period of decline for McLaren, which has seen the team finish third in 2020, fourth in 2021 and fifth in 2022. After two races in 2023, they have yet to score a point.

McLaren have decided to move away from a structure of having a single Technical Director, overseeing the whole operation, and replace it with a team of three specialised roles.

Peter Prodromou – who has 32 years of experience in F1 – moves into the role of Technical Director, Aerodynamics, leading the whole aero function.

David Sanchez will return to McLaren as Technical Director, Car Concept and Performance on January 1 2024 after a decade at Ferrari.

Neil Houldey is promoted into the newly created role of Technical Director, Engineering and Design .

The trio will report directly to Stella.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... wNQZ1.html

[Vassago]

Could be a long season for McLaren then. If only the 2021 Russian GP was three laps shorter It seems like the team had only gone downhill from that moment.

[Aty]

Yeah, but a new guy wil get through the door only on Jan 1, 2004. Late for this year, and almost certainly late for good part of next year before he can claim something of his own. 2024 vehicle will be substantively completed when he comes in, and he can only exert influence on direction of in-season development. Excuses run out with 2025 prototype.

[erwin greven]

I feel bad for Lando... Again two seasons rotting away at McLaren.

[Vassago]

Yeah, but a new guy wil get through the door only on Jan 1, 2004. Late for this year, and almost certainly late for good part of next year before he can claim something of his own. 2024 vehicle will be substantively completed when he comes in, and he can only exert influence on direction of in-season development. Excuses run out with 2025 prototype.

They can't blame anything on the engine this time like in the Honda comeback days. And it's anyone's guess if such a young driver line-up will offer them a better feedback how to solve the chassis problems. I somehow feel Norris is too loose for this to work (while Russell for instance is more analytical mind) and he can look good when the car is good but doesn't truly elevate a mediocre/bad car beyond a certain level.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Disarray and McLaren have pretty much walked hand in hand since Lewis Hamilton left if not earlier than that.

[XcraigX]

Disarray and McLaren have pretty much walked hand in hand since Lewis Hamilton left if not earlier than that.

There's got to be a Meme for this somewhere.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Disarray and McLaren have pretty much walked hand in hand since Lewis Hamilton left if not earlier than that.

There's got to be a Meme for this somewhere.

Glad you agree.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Disarray and McLaren have pretty much walked hand in hand since Lewis Hamilton left if not earlier than that.

Spygate was the year Lewis (and Alonso) arrived. Not their finest episode of history.

Not sure their demise was driver related. Their big step downwards was probably when Mercedes chose to give them standard customer engines rather than the same works engines as the works Mercs end 2013. 2013 the slide started, beaten by Williams in the Merc customer engine users. That I believe made Mercedes look for a new engine partner, choosing Honda, and dropping to the depths of the WCC, improving when they took on the slightly better Renault PU's, working their way to 3rd before returning to Merc and sliding down the WCC again..... their final year with Renault being their best WCC finish since 2012 .

Mind you, having said that, Red Bull didnt do too bad with the Honda engines

Throw into the mix the dramatic times of Ron's departure in 2016/17....

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Disarray and McLaren have pretty much walked hand in hand since Lewis Hamilton left if not earlier than that.

Spygate was the year Lewis (and Alonso) arrived. Not their finest episode of history.

Not sure their demise was driver related. Their big step downwards was probably when Mercedes chose to give them standard customer engines rather than the same works engines as the works Mercs end 2013. 2013 the slide started, beaten by Williams in the Merc customer engine users. That I believe made Mercedes look for a new engine partner, choosing Honda, and dropping to the depths of the WCC, improving when they took on the slightly better Renault PU's, working their way to 3rd before returning to Merc and sliding down the WCC again..... their final year with Renault being their best WCC finish since 2012 .

Mind you, having said that, Red Bull didnt do too bad with the Honda engines

Throw into the mix the dramatic times of Ron's departure in 2016/17....

I'm not saying Lewis' departure is definitely where it all went wrong, I did say it could have started earlier, much earlier and possibly even moreso than spygate.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Disarray and McLaren have pretty much walked hand in hand since Lewis Hamilton left if not earlier than that.

Spygate was the year Lewis (and Alonso) arrived. Not their finest episode of history.

Not sure their demise was driver related. Their big step downwards was probably when Mercedes chose to give them standard customer engines rather than the same works engines as the works Mercs end 2013. 2013 the slide started, beaten by Williams in the Merc customer engine users. That I believe made Mercedes look for a new engine partner, choosing Honda, and dropping to the depths of the WCC, improving when they took on the slightly better Renault PU's, working their way to 3rd before returning to Merc and sliding down the WCC again..... their final year with Renault being their best WCC finish since 2012 .

Mind you, having said that, Red Bull didnt do too bad with the Honda engines

Throw into the mix the dramatic times of Ron's departure in 2016/17....

I'm not saying Lewis' departure is definitely where it all went wrong, I did say it could have started earlier, much earlier and possibly even moreso than spygate.

And im not saying it was nothing to do with Lewis leaving, just trying to highlight some of the other many things that have all combined to contribute to their fall from grace. I guesss im suggesting it wasnt just one thing.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Disarray and McLaren have pretty much walked hand in hand since Lewis Hamilton left if not earlier than that.

Spygate was the year Lewis (and Alonso) arrived. Not their finest episode of history.

Not sure their demise was driver related. Their big step downwards was probably when Mercedes chose to give them standard customer engines rather than the same works engines as the works Mercs end 2013. 2013 the slide started, beaten by Williams in the Merc customer engine users. That I believe made Mercedes look for a new engine partner, choosing Honda, and dropping to the depths of the WCC, improving when they took on the slightly better Renault PU's, working their way to 3rd before returning to Merc and sliding down the WCC again..... their final year with Renault being their best WCC finish since 2012 .

Mind you, having said that, Red Bull didnt do too bad with the Honda engines

Throw into the mix the dramatic times of Ron's departure in 2016/17....

I'm not saying Lewis' departure is definitely where it all went wrong, I did say it could have started earlier, much earlier and possibly even moreso than spygate.

And im not saying it was nothing to do with Lewis leaving, just trying to highlight some of the other many things that have all combined to contribute to their fall from grace. I guesss im suggesting it wasnt just one thing.

I was trying to do the same but choice of words has never been my strong point.

[XcraigX]

Disarray and McLaren have pretty much walked hand in hand since Lewis Hamilton left if not earlier than that.

Spygate was the year Lewis (and Alonso) arrived. Not their finest episode of history.

Not sure their demise was driver related. Their big step downwards was probably when Mercedes chose to give them standard customer engines rather than the same works engines as the works Mercs end 2013. 2013 the slide started, beaten by Williams in the Merc customer engine users. That I believe made Mercedes look for a new engine partner, choosing Honda, and dropping to the depths of the WCC, improving when they took on the slightly better Renault PU's, working their way to 3rd before returning to Merc and sliding down the WCC again..... their final year with Renault being their best WCC finish since 2012 .

Mind you, having said that, Red Bull didnt do too bad with the Honda engines

Throw into the mix the dramatic times of Ron's departure in 2016/17....

I'm not saying Lewis' departure is definitely where it all went wrong, I did say it could have started earlier, much earlier and possibly even moreso than spygate.

And im not saying it was nothing to do with Lewis leaving, just trying to highlight some of the other many things that have all combined to contribute to their fall from grace. I guesss im suggesting it wasnt just one thing.

I was trying to do the same but choice of words has never been my strong point.

And I'm not saying I disagree either! GOOD DAY SIRS!

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Disarray and McLaren have pretty much walked hand in hand since Lewis Hamilton left if not earlier than that.

Spygate was the year Lewis (and Alonso) arrived. Not their finest episode of history.

Not sure their demise was driver related. Their big step downwards was probably when Mercedes chose to give them standard customer engines rather than the same works engines as the works Mercs end 2013. 2013 the slide started, beaten by Williams in the Merc customer engine users. That I believe made Mercedes look for a new engine partner, choosing Honda, and dropping to the depths of the WCC, improving when they took on the slightly better Renault PU's, working their way to 3rd before returning to Merc and sliding down the WCC again..... their final year with Renault being their best WCC finish since 2012 .

Mind you, having said that, Red Bull didnt do too bad with the Honda engines

Throw into the mix the dramatic times of Ron's departure in 2016/17....

I'm not saying Lewis' departure is definitely where it all went wrong, I did say it could have started earlier, much earlier and possibly even moreso than spygate.

And im not saying it was nothing to do with Lewis leaving, just trying to highlight some of the other many things that have all combined to contribute to their fall from grace. I guesss im suggesting it wasnt just one thing.

I was trying to do the same but choice of words has never been my strong point.

And I'm not saying I disagree either! GOOD DAY SIRS!

Just debating. Nothing serious.

[XcraigX]

Disarray and McLaren have pretty much walked hand in hand since Lewis Hamilton left if not earlier than that.

Spygate was the year Lewis (and Alonso) arrived. Not their finest episode of history.

Not sure their demise was driver related. Their big step downwards was probably when Mercedes chose to give them standard customer engines rather than the same works engines as the works Mercs end 2013. 2013 the slide started, beaten by Williams in the Merc customer engine users. That I believe made Mercedes look for a new engine partner, choosing Honda, and dropping to the depths of the WCC, improving when they took on the slightly better Renault PU's, working their way to 3rd before returning to Merc and sliding down the WCC again..... their final year with Renault being their best WCC finish since 2012 .

Mind you, having said that, Red Bull didnt do too bad with the Honda engines

Throw into the mix the dramatic times of Ron's departure in 2016/17....

I'm not saying Lewis' departure is definitely where it all went wrong, I did say it could have started earlier, much earlier and possibly even moreso than spygate.

And im not saying it was nothing to do with Lewis leaving, just trying to highlight some of the other many things that have all combined to contribute to their fall from grace. I guesss im suggesting it wasnt just one thing.

I was trying to do the same but choice of words has never been my strong point.

And I'm not saying I disagree either! GOOD DAY SIRS!

Just debating. Nothing serious.

More like violent agreement?
(Sorry, this exchange came off a bit funny to me today. You are both saying very similar things in different ways)