F1 News: McLaren Pays Tribute To Long-Serving Engineer After Shock Exit

McLaren bids farewell to long-serving engineer Hiroshi Imai, whose contributions helped secure their 2024 Constructors' Championship.

May 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; McLaren driver Oscar Piastri (81) during the F1 Sprint Race at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Hiroshi Imai, a long-serving engineer with McLaren, announced his departure following the conclusion of the Formula 1 2024 season. Imai, whose career at McLaren spanned over a decade, leaves as the team basks in their first Constructors' Championship title since 1998. Team Principal Andrea Stella has paid a heartfelt tribute to Imai.

Imai's tenure at McLaren began in 2009 after he transitioned from Bridgestone, a leading supplier of F1 tires. His background in this field proved instrumental to McLaren's decisions on the race track. After joining McLaren, Imai steadily rose through the ranks, becoming the Chief Race Engineer in 2017 and the Director of Race Engineering by 2021. Throughout his career, Imai was regarded for his expertise in tires, brakes, and overall operational standards, which became cornerstones of McLaren’s trackside operations.

Reflecting on Imai's career, Andrea Stella shared:

“Hiroshi has been at McLaren for a long time.He has been a fundamental contributor to what the team have achieved over the years.

“But for me, in particular, since I joined McLaren in 2015 Hiroshi has always been one of my closest collaborators in various positions, like chief race engineer, director of race engineering, and then director of tires and brakes, more recently.

“And at the same time, always a key role in our operations trackside."

McLaren’s triumphant 2024 season, closed off by Lando Norris's decisive victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, represented the team's consistent performance. This victory secured the championship, ultimately achieved by a slender 14-point margin over Ferrari. Stella was quick to attribute this success to Imai’s significant contributions. 

“He has contributed with great knowledge and expertise on tires, on brakes, on operational standards. A person of great integrity, a person of calmness. Everyone appreciates his calmness, his great organisation.

“But at the same time it’s always been a point of reference for everyone in the team who needed some advice, who needed to have a wise opinion, and they have always known that could find it in Hiroshi.

“There’s one aspect of Hiroshi we all love, [it’s] that when it was the time to go racing, the Samurai inside Hiroshi would come out and he would become one of the tougher racers, but always incredibly respectful and with great style.

“We are all very thankful and grateful to Hiroshi for what he has given to McLaren.

“He will always be part of the family and I’m delighted that he has achieved the World Championship in his final year at McLaren, because he will always say that he has been World Champion for the rest of his of his life.

“We wish Hiroshi all the best, and I’m sure we will have more opportunities to see him around in the future.”