F1 News: McLaren reveal SECOND key departure within week

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McLaren reveal SECOND key F1 departure within week

McLaren F1 team face further change as Emanuele Pirro departs the Young Driver Programme

Yara Elshebiny

Friday 5 April 2024 20:12

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McLaren have been hit with another high-profile departure this week, following the recent exit of a key member of their technical staff.

Just a few days ago, the Woking squad saw the exit of technical director David Sanchez, who started his role with the team just three months ago. He reportedly left due to misaligned expectations regarding his role and its responsibilities.

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It follows what has been a solid start to the 2024 season for McLaren, but one in which they haven't been able to make the gains they might have expected in relation to the dominant Red Bull team.

Despite Lando Norris' podium at the Australian Grand Prix, it does look as though they may be fighting with Mercedes and Aston Martin for top five finishes, rather than Red Bull and Ferrari for race wins.

McLaren have lost some key personnel of late

David Sanchez left McLaren earlier this week

Pirro leaves McLaren

Now, it has been confirmed that Emanuele Pirro will exit the team, following the conclusion of his one-year contract. Pirro, the five-time Le Mans winner and former Formula 1 driver, was leading the McLaren Young Driver Programme (DDP).

This programme was designed to cultivate a talent pipeline for the team's racing ventures across F1, IndyCar, and Formula E.

The DDP currently houses a promising group of young drivers, including Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward, McLaren reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa, 2023 F3 champion Gabriel Bortoleto, F1 Academy driver Bianca Bustamante, and American junior driver Ugo Ugochukwu.

However, the team have decided to restructure the programme, bringing it in-house under the leadership of Stephanie Carlin, the newly appointed F1 Business Operations Director.

Taking to Instagram, the ex-McLaren test driver wrote: "After a year of hard work and satisfaction, I will be leaving the McLaren DDP.

"Together with the Formula 1 team, I was able to put in place a structure to help develop young, talented, and hard-working drivers into future McLaren champions.

"To the best of my ability, I carried out this task, scouting and signing young stars which I truly feel can carve their names into the history books.

"I trust that the internal resources who will run the DDP will continue on my path and help the programme grow, giving the type of unique support developing drivers need alongside the professionalism and experience of the great teams they are all representing.

"I have done my best in transmitting the lessons learned and the mistakes made over a life in motorsport and now I step aside and let the program walk on its own legs, grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me."