Ex-Renault tech boss Chester joins Mercedes Formula E

Nick Chester, who headed Renault F1's chassis department in Enstone up until the end of last year, has joined the Mercedes Formula E team.

Chester enjoyed a 19-year residency at Enstone that included his role as technical director for Lotus - the original Renault outfit - before the team was acquired by the French manufacture at the end of 2015.

The writing was perhaps on the wall for the 51-year-old engineer when Renault announced last November the arrival of former McLaren man Pat Fry, a nomination that followed that of former Williams engineer Dirk de Beer as Renault's head of aerodynamics.

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It was initially believed that Chester was a prime candidate to lead Williams' technical department, and that may have been the case but ultimately, the British engineer has chosen to join Mercedes-Ben EQ Formula E Team.

The all-electric series 2019/20 season is set to resume in Berlin next month with a sequence of six races that will all take place at the Tempelhof Airport venue.

Chester will join at Mercedes chief race engineer Tony Ross who previously officiated as Valtteri Bottas' race engineer in F1.

Mercedes' works effort for its maiden campaign in Formula E is spearheaded by Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries. The German outfit is currently fifth in the team's standings after five races, the season having been halted after Marrakesh following the emergence of the coronavirus.

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Michael Delaney