HRT have promoted Toni Cuquerella from engineer to technical director.
The post has been unoccupied since Geoff Willis left the team in September.
Team principal Luiz-Perez Sala said: “Toni Cuquerella has been a key figure in the team since its inception and, above all, in this new stage.
“The transition from the previous project to this one hasn’t been easy and a lot of work has been carried out that without vital figures such as him wouldn’t have been possible. The position of technical director was vacant and the development of the F112 was carried out at the technical office in Munich.
“But now, with the car already on the track, it was important to take control and count on someone influential at the head of the technical office. And because of his experience, judgement and knowledge, Toni’s profile fitted in perfectly”.
Cuqurella said: “Until now there was a lot of dispersion from within the technical team and that had its repercussions in the concept and quality of the F112.
“My priority is to solve the current car’s problems to then develop it to its maximum potential, whilst also unifying and expanding the technical department, but I’m confident that we have a good work base and a clear direction to advance and have a good project for the future".
HRT did not complete their F112 in time to participate in pre-season testing, and failed to qualify for the first race of the season in Australia. However, they did manage to qualify last week in Malaysia.
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Image © HRT F1 Team
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
2nd April 2012, 11:39
Yay?
bearforce1 (@bearforce1)
3rd April 2012, 1:23
Dear lord, if you don’t know if this is good or bad. What does this mean for the team?
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd April 2012, 11:39
A lot of work is waiting for them. Lets hope this team can really start building something up to become a loved addition to the back-end of the grid for the next few decades :-)
Gerry de C
2nd April 2012, 12:13
Good one Mr. Luiz Perez Sala!!
hoshi (@hoshi)
2nd April 2012, 12:52
I think Sala is doing a very good and honest job with the team..i hope he is able to generate enough finance and resource to get the team working in the right direction.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
2nd April 2012, 13:57
That’s good to see a promotion within the team rather than just bringing in another pair of hands who have to learn all-things-HRT.
They’ve had enough change in the past 24 months to last a long time!
Alfisti37 (@alfisti37)
2nd April 2012, 14:05
I’m not sure whether he will stay in the post or whether he can withstand the job in HRT for long… Just wondering.
Alain (@paganbasque)
2nd April 2012, 14:48
Hopefully they will finally start developing this car, and, by the way, improving the poor image of this team. Anyway I must remark that they did an amazing work between Australia and Malaysia, in only a few days they have improved a lot. For Barcelona they should be fighting against Marussia in equal conditions.
OOliver
2nd April 2012, 15:46
He probably wont change his desk or doesn’t have any desk, but it is still progress.
For a small team, HRT are Juggling too many tasks simultanously.
The mechanic and crew are just learning the job, the car is new and an unknown quantity, the team is moving and settling into a new operating environment.
Resources are lacking, but I see the HRT as having more developmental potential that the Marussia. They first need to get their front wing sorted, then work on their sidepods/exhuast layout, then they can aim for 21st position.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
3rd April 2012, 0:03
Toni Cuqumber?
xeroxpt (@)
3rd April 2012, 5:49
Spanish pride overload error!
Formule 1
6th February 2013, 9:31
Sounds great but it would not change a thing i think