F1 Rumour: Ferrari Loses Key Engineer To McLaren
It has now been reported where Ferrari's head of vehicle concept, David Sanchez, might be moving to.
Sanchez's departure from the Maranello-based squad was revealed earlier this week with news that he will be joining a British team after his garden leave. Now, according to Motorsport.com, Sanchez is thought to be making a move to McLaren.
The news of Sanchez's departure is expected to impact the Scuderia's current F1 season, particularly in the development of their SF-23 vehicle. Sanchez began his career at Ferrari back in 2012 and worked his way up to take over the aerodynamics department of the Scuderia in 2019, following the footsteps of Dirk de Beer. During his tenure, he was responsible for the design and development of last year's F1-75 and 2023's SF-23.
It's worth noting that Sanchez's exit is not believed to be linked to Ferrari's recent lackluster performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Instead, it appears to be a decision he has been contemplating for some time. Nevertheless, his departure will undoubtedly leave a void in the team's development program.
While it's unclear who will replace Sanchez, one thing is for sure: the Scuderia will miss one of their most talented minds. Time will tell if Ferrari can find a suitable replacement in the short term or if they will have to wait until the end of garden leave periods to consider outside candidates. For now, all eyes are on the Italian racing team as they navigate this significant change.
The move to McLaren is yet to be formally announced.