Ferrari’s head of vehicle concept, David Sanchez, has confirmed he is stepping down from his role with the team to join “another F1 project”.
Sanchez, pictured with driver Charles Leclerc, has worked with Ferrari for the last decade, having joined the Italian team from rivals McLaren. He most recently served as head of vehicle concept in Ferrari’s chassis department, led by Enrico Cardile. That division reported to team principal Mattia Binotto, who resigned from the team at the end of the disappointing 2022 season, and was replaced by Frederic Vasseur.The designer announced his departure from the team in a post on social media. “After 10 years in Ferrari, I have decided to leave the team for another F1 project,” he said. “My decision thoroughly matured for quite some time. [I’m] looking forward to getting back to work.”
While Sanchez did not confirm who he might be joining, Italian media reports last week indicated his destination is McLaren. Sanchez previously worked for the team between 2007 and 2012, and spent two years at Renault before that. Ferrari declined to comment when approached by RaceFans last week and McLaren did not respond.
Sanchez’s departure is the second major change in Ferrari’s personnel since Vasseur assumed the role of team principal. Prior to the season, chief strategist Inaki Rueda was replaced in his role by Ravin Jain.
Before the season began, Vasseur said he had no plans to radically reorganise the structure of Ferrari and its personnel. “It will be arrogant on my side to take action on the technical organisation after two weeks,” Vasseur told media including RaceFans soon after assuming his position in January.
“I trust the guys in place and I will try to do the best for them also and to put them in the best condition to do the job. Then it will be time, after a couple of weeks or months, to take action if it’s not working.”
Ferrari sit in fourth place in the constructors championship after the opening round of the 2023 season, behind Red Bull, Aston Martin and Mercedes. Carlos Sainz Jnr claimed fourth place in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix after Leclerc retired from third late in the race with power unit failure.
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Pinak Ghosh (@pinakghosh)
13th March 2023, 17:20
Something is definitely not right in Red.
MichaelN
14th March 2023, 12:00
That something is the failed 2022 title campaign, the winless 2021 season, the abysmal 2020 season and the highly dubious 2019 season. In other words, the Binotto years.
If Ferrari wants to mount a credible title challenge, ideas about the car/engine designs need to be changed and some people need to be replaced. If anything, it’s good to see them doing so before these ideas and/or people potentially influence even the 2024 season.
F1 is both a business and a sport, so results count above all else. Or rather they should if a team wants to actually win, and not build their business around being a midfield fixture and getting rich off of the commercial rights payout.
Txizzle (@txizzle)
13th March 2023, 17:39
Those in Red are not hitting the Bull’s-eyes…
Leroy (@g-funk)
13th March 2023, 17:39
It seems like Maranello is in full-fledged rebuild mode. Laurent Mekies is also rumored to be on the way out, with the hold-up being that Vasseur didn’t approve his transition back to working for the FIA.
I hope all the changes they make result in a car and a team that can provide Leclerc with a championship-winning car and team before he retires.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
13th March 2023, 18:06
Mmm, we have quite a few drivers that are surely able to win a championship or more with the right car that might not get a car anytime soon: russell, leclerc, norris at the very least, only verstappen so far out of the strong drivers that emerged during hamilton’s era got a proper car, russell and leclerc have been pretty unlucky, I believe leclerc could’ve won with the 2018 ferrari but he came there a year too late (although he would’ve needed to start f1 a year earlier then, to get some exp), and russell also, as soon as he came to mercedes it stopped being the best car and hasn’t been anywhere near the level we were used to.
Mayrton
15th March 2023, 12:52
Yes, they are extremely unfortunate since with a good car each of them could be WDC. Bit like the years Max ‘wasted’ at RedBull at the beginning of his career. Mercedes was way to strong to even think of going for the title. A lot of bad luck on top of it. Looked (at that time) like it was not going to happen apart from the occasional race win. So Russell, Leclerc and Norris might still get a chance as they are relatively young. It would be good to see some of the old geezers leave though to improve their chances.
Qeki (@qeki)
13th March 2023, 19:39
When one leaves another comes in. I bet Ferrari will find the right pieces to its puzzle but I’m afraid it will not happen until next leclerc drives for them..
Todfod (@todfod)
14th March 2023, 13:29
@qeki
Knowing Ferrari, they will probably have Sainz as their number 1 driver, and have another driver to just fill the seat in the campaign that they can actually challenge for the championship.
James Bond (@jamesbond)
13th March 2023, 19:56
Maybe Leclerc’s son will have the luck. Until then no hope..
ADUB SMALLBLOCK (@waptraveler)
13th March 2023, 17:56
F1 “Project”? Maybe Andretti/GM?
MacLeod (@macleod)
14th March 2023, 7:42
Or maybe Audi …..
Yaru (@yaru)
15th March 2023, 13:36
It’s been reported to be McLaren by Dieter (who used to work on this site before moving to RN365).
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
14th March 2023, 8:51
What on earth does a head of vehicle concept do anyway? Maybe Ferrari are better off without one.
Mog
14th March 2023, 9:32
Develop the philosophy of the car from a conceptual standpoint? It so, then its a pretty important job as its where the car is born.
But, really, im only guessing and the real title of his job is probably italian and something is lost in translation
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
14th March 2023, 9:51
@bullfrog
He is the chief designer.
Yaru (@yaru)
15th March 2023, 13:37
The one that decides the concept of the car? The type of problem that Mercedes now have?