McLaren Let Go of Its Technical Director David Sanchez Because He Was ‘Too Senior’

McLaren parted ways with David Sanchez in April, just three months after the Frenchman joined the Woking-based team as its Technical Director. Sanchez, who previously worked for Ferrari was deemed “too senior” for his role at McLaren, according to team principal Andrea Stella. This is why he was let go.

Sanchez joined McLaren as Technical Director of Car Concept and Performance in January. However, it didn’t take long for Stella to figure out that the had too much experience to remain in a position like that. As quoted in a report published by Motorsport Week, the McLaren boss said,

“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.” 

After Stella and McLaren realized the same, they sat together with Sanchez to discuss his future. They decided to cut ties mutually and Stella insisted that it happened in an “amicable and friendly way”. He also believes David Sanchez will find a senior role in F1 shortly.

McLaren’s decision to remove Sanchez from the team coincided with the recent reshuffling of their technical department. Their aim- to strengthen and evolve the technical model within the stable.

How McLaren restructured their team amid resurgence

Ahead of the 2024 season, McLaren appointed three men to head their technical departments, all under the same umbrella. They were the Technical Director of Car Concept and Performance, the Technical Director of Engineering, and one for Aerodynamics.

This, however, changed soon. Following Sanchez’s departure, Rob Marshall became the chief designer, Neil Houldey became engineering head and Peter Prodromou remained in charge of aerodynamics.

Stella and McLaren’s decision cannot be questioned, as the team continues to show progress. While the papaya outfit remains a long way behind Red Bull, Ferrari is within its reach. The battle for P2 in the Constructors’ Championship promises to be exciting owing to McLaren’s performances in recent weeks.

David Sanchez, meanwhile, is linked with a move to Alpine. The French team has had a disastrous start to the season and his expertise could pull them out of their misery. At McLaren, Sanchez’s replacement hasn’t been hired yet and Stella will fill in the role until they find someone suitable.