Key replaces Monchaux as Alfa Romeo F1 technical director

©AlfaRomeo

Alfa Romeo F1/Sauber has appointed James Key as its new technical director, a position the former McLaren engineer will fill from September 1 of this year, succeeding Jan Monchaux in the role.

Key departed McLaren last March following a restructuring of the Woking-based outfit's technical department.

But the Briton is no stranger to Hinwil, having enjoyed a tenure as technical director for the then-Sauber F1 Team between 2010 and 2012, a period during which he designed the team's C31 that would go on to score four podiums in the hands of Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi.

Key left Sauber to head Toro Rosso's engineering department in Faenza where he remained until joining McLaren in 2019, where he worked under the orders of current Sauber CEO Andreas Seidl.

"I am delighted to welcome James back home to Hinwil as he joins us to shape the future of this team," commented 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."

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As he opens a new chapter in his 25-year career in Formula 1, Key expressed his excitement with his new endeavor and with his new team's prospects as it transitions in the following two seasons into the works Audi outfit.

"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," he said.

"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."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.