David Sanchez, formerly Ferrari’s chief of vehicle concept, joined McLaren in March 2023. After completing his gardening leave in January, he returned to McLaren. Sanchez was supposed to be one of three technical directors, responsible for car concept and performance. However, after just three months, McLaren announced his departure.
McLaren made changes to its technical structure, with Andrea Stella taking over from Sanchez temporarily. Neil Houldey and Rob Marshall also swapped roles, with Marshall becoming the chief designer and Houldey the technical director of engineering. Peter Prodromou remained as the aero tech director.
Sanchez realized that his role at McLaren wasn’t what he expected. He felt uneasy about his level of seniority. After discussions with Stella, they reached an amicable decision for Sanchez to leave McLaren.
McLaren agreed to release Sanchez early so he could explore other opportunities. They believed it was better to part ways quickly rather than wait and disrupt their plans for future cars.
Andrea Stella emphasized that McLaren’s technical organization is constantly evolving. He believed that McLaren was now in a stronger position after the recent changes.
McLaren has been making adjustments to its technical team, integrating new hires to strengthen its capabilities.
