Sauber Motorsport AG, which operates and manages the Alfa Romeo F1 team, has announced that head of aerodynamics, Jan Monchaux, will be promoted to the position of Technical Director, from August 1st, 2019.

The move follows the departure of current technical director, Simone Resta, who has been linked with Ferrari, at the end of the month.

"I want to thank Simone for his contribution to the progression of the team," said Frederic Vasseur, "and I wish him all the best for his future appointments. As for Jan, I am delighted to have him step up to the role of Technical Director. He has done a brilliant job so far and I am confident he will be able to lead our technical group as the team continues its upward journey."

"I am very excited about this new challenge," added Monchaux, "and I am looking forward to starting in my new position. The owners, board and team principal are sending a simple but strong message to the whole company - they value continuity and believe in the existing team and the work we have been doing. It is now up to us to prove them right, but I am convinced our future is bright."

Monchaux joined Sauber in 2018 from Audi, where he had been Head of Vehicle Engineering & Aerodynamics with Audi Sport. Previously he has spent seven years with Toyota Motorsport and between 2010 and 2012 worked in the aero department at Ferrari.

Resta was appointed technical director at Sauber in May 2018, the Italian, who replaced Jorg Zander and reported directly to Fred Vasseur, taking up his role on July 1.

He first entered F1 with Minardi in 1998, moving to Ferrari in 2001. Starting out in the design office at Maranello, by 2002 he was group leader, and by 2006 head of R&D and Innovation. Appointed deputy chief designer in 2012, he was made chief designer in 2015.

Along with Binotto, Resta is seen as the driving force behind Ferrari's resurrection over the last couple of seasons, in particular last year's SF71H, which was widely considered the class of the field, and it is felt that the team's current issues with the SF90 are down to losing him to Sauber.

Speaking over the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Binotto admitted that Ferrari was considering bringing Resta back on board.

"As a team, no doubt we are always trying to improve ourselves by looking where maybe we miss strengths," said Binotto "Simone has been with Ferrari in the past, he moved to Alfa Romeo as technical director and is having a great experience.

"We are evaluating him to be back at a certain stage," he admitted, "but that's not something which we have already decided. We've covered his role currently in Maranello, so it's not a plug-in situation.

"But it is true that we're thinking about it, as we are thinking for other people that may join or may leave. In any organisation there is this dynamic and that is normal."