Incoming technical director James Key is expected to have an instant impact at Sauber after being made a target by Andreas Seidl following his appointment at the end of last year.
The Sauber Group caused a stir in mid-December when, just three weeks after the season had finished, it announced Seidl would be joining with immediate effect as its new CEO after a four-year spell as team principal of McLaren.
Alfa Romeo team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi has confirmed that Seidl made Key his primary target upon his arrival.
Three months later, McLaren announced a major overhaul, with Key departing, and with David Sanchez hired from Ferrari as technical director, car concept and performance, as part of a newly created three-pronged technical team.
In early June, the Sauber Group confirmed Key’s return to the Hinwil-based squad following a previous stint as TD from 2010-2012, with the 51-year-old due to start on September 1, replacing Jan Monchaux.
Key’s initial role will be to oversee the development of next year’s car.
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Bravi insists Key will have enough time ahead of next season to have an influence, alongside a focus on the preparation of the technical department ahead of the arrival of Audi in 2026.
“There are different development phases for the new project,” said Bravi, in an interview with Speedcafe.
“First is the monocoque, and we are defining the monocoque now. The other is the aerodynamics of the car.
“We develop the car in the wind tunnel and with CFD until the very last moment before the start of the season.
“So there will be enough time for him, not just in working for the future to help Andreas shape the technical department towards 2026, but also he will be focused on producing, together with our technical group, a good car for 2024.
“So there will be enough time for him to address the different areas and to give his input.
“This is a team operation. It does not rely on individuals.
“Of course, the position of technical director is important to ensure there is a proper synthesis of everything coming up from the technical department, and to also decide what is the right trajectory for the design of the car.”
The announcement of Key’s arrival was a surprise in some respects, despite his past links with Seidl, given the work of Monchaux in steering Alfa Romeo to a superb sixth-placed finish in last year’s constructors’ championship.
Despite that, Bravi added: “James was the target for Andreas from the beginning when he joined our team.
“We need to develop our structure, and we need to bring huge experience to the team.
“James has been working as a technical director in Formula 1, but also in other areas of a technical department, for many years so he has valuable experience for us.
“With what he has achieved, the success he has had in the past, in accordance with the resources that were available to him, for us, it’s a good opportunity to appoint him, to make a step forward.
“Of course, Jan did a very good job for our team because if we were P6 last year it’s thanks to the work done by Jan, together with his own group.
“But we felt it necessary to put the foundations in place for the future of our team, and we had this opportunity available.
“As I said, he was a target for Andreas, so it was good timing for us especially because we are able to have him join our team from the first of September, so without waiting too long, which was crucial for us.”
As to the possibility of additional changes within the technical department, Bravi remarked: “This will be the work of James.
“We expect that, with his vision, together with Andreas, he will define the structure of the technical department, according to the targets that have been set for it.”
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