Former McLaren technical director, David Sanchez has returned to Enstone, joining Alpine as its executive technical director.

In the newly created role, Sanchez will oversee the technical department based at Enstone and will have overall responsibility of the Performance, Engineering, and Aerodynamic areas of the team.

He will manage the three key areas that fall under the recently announced three-pillared technical structure, with Ciaron Pilbeam (Technical Director - Performance), Joe Burnell (Technical Director - Engineering), and David Wheater (Technical Director - Aerodynamics) all reporting to him. The Frenchman joins the team today and will report directly to Team Principal and VP, Alpine Motorsports, Bruno Famin.

Sanchez started his career in Formula 1 at Enstone as a Junior Aerodynamicist for Renault in 2005, the same year the team won both drivers' and constructors' titles.

He brings with him a wealth of experience having worked for several top teams in F1 with successful stints at McLaren and Ferrari. Indeed, he remained in Maranello for over 10-years where he led the Aerodynamics department and later worked as Head of Vehicle Concept.

"I am delighted to welcome David back to Enstone, where he started his career back in 2005," said Bruno Famin. "This is a key appointment to ensure we are optimising everything we do as a team and focusing on the right performance areas. It is clear that the performance of the car and development path has not moved at a sufficient pace relative to our ambitions as a team. We look forward to welcoming David and working hard together to achieve the ultimate success."

"I'm excited by this challenge at Alpine," added Sanchez. "I'm looking forward to working at Enstone again, the place where I started my Formula 1 career. This team has always had so many fantastic people involved and there is clearly so much potential to unlock. We have a big task ahead to improve on-track performance and it is this type of challenge that motivates me. I'm very much ready to begin and look forward to working with the Enstone-Viry technical teams again with the sole aim of bringing regular success back to this great team."

In 2008 Sanchez left Renault for McLaren, joining the Woking team as Aerodynamics Team Leader. In 2013 he joined Ferrari as Principal Aerodynamicist, before being promoted to the role of Chief Aerodynamicist in 2016.

Working alongside James Allison and Simone Resta, Sanchez he was a key player as Ferrari sought to make up lost ground at the start of the hybrid era, taking on increasing responsibility during the period that the team was without an official technical director.

Then, in March 2023 he suddenly announced his decision to leave Maranello subsequently re-partnering with former colleague Andrea Stella at McLaren. However, following the recruitment of Rob Marshall from Red Bull it was thought by many that the Woking outfit had a few too many chefs in its kitchen and it came as no surprise when Sanchez' departure was announced barely a year later.