Alfa Romeo hires James Key as new Technical Director as he moves on from McLaren after Andreas Seidl moved to the Swiss outfit.
After his departure from McLaren, Key has now joined Alfa Romeo Sauber in the Technical Director capacity under his former boss Seidl, who switched to the F1 team earlier in the year. He will join the team on September 1 this year.
He takes over from Jan Monchaux in preparation of 2026 as Key returns to the Sauber fold having been with them between 2010 and 2012. There is no word or confirmation about Monachaux’s future, if he will leave or re-positioned.
“I am delighted to welcome James back home to Hinwil as he joins us to shape the future of this team,” said Seidl. “The operation he will find has changed a lot since his time here, but the same drive, the same commitment that contributed to making the team successful in his previous experience are still the same: I am sure that, together with this very talented and committed team, we will be able to continue on the path of growth on which we have embarked.
“James’s appointment is a crucial step on this journey: he has an outstanding amount of experience in the sport, not just as Technical Director, but also in various other roles within the technical organisation of a team. He will lead the transformation process of the technical side of the team, giving us the tools and direction we need to tackle the future. I also want to thank Jan for his precious contribution to taking Sauber to where it is now, following our most successful season in a decade, in which we climbed to sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship.”
At the same time, Key added: “I am delighted to be returning to Hinwil to work with old, and new, colleagues at Sauber; I have very fond memories of my time there before. I am looking forward to leading the technical side of the team at one of the most critical junctures of its long history as we head towards a new and exciting future. There is a huge amount of work ahead of us, but I am confident that every single member of our team working in Hinwil will have the commitment, determination and hunger to get us to the top.
“We know it will require time, effort and perseverance, and the dividends from this work will only arrive over the next two seasons and beyond, but we have a journey ahead of us and a roadmap to follow which I am eager to get started. I am grateful to Andreas for the confidence he has placed in me and look forward to repaying his trust and working closely with him on the challenges and ambitions ahead.”
More to come