Andretti International has employed the person behind System 1’s 2026 technical laws as an engineering advisor because it bids to enter the sequence.
Pat Symonds, who developed automobiles which took Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso to world championships, will be a part of Andretti after finishing a interval of gardening depart.
Andretti’s bid to enter F1 in 2026 was authorized by the FIA in October final 12 months however rejected by System One Administration in January. One of many causes the championship gave for refusing to confess Andretti was that it did “not consider that the applicant can be a aggressive participant.”
Symonds’ popularity as an engineer, plus his years spent devising the present and upcoming technical laws, underlined Andretti’s declare to be severe about being a aggressive entrant.
“We couldn’t be extra excited to welcome Pat to the Andretti household,” stated Andretti International chairman and CEO Michael Andretti. “Pat’s eager understanding of aerodynamics, car dynamics and System 1 energy items will probably be instrumental as we proceed to construct a aggressive crew.
“I consider his experience has been pivotal in shaping the narrative of System 1 and his vote of confidence in becoming a member of our effort speaks volumes. I’m actually pleased with this subsequent step as our work continues at tempo.”
Symonds will be a part of Andretti’s rising crew at its new Silverstone base as soon as he’s free to hitch them. He will probably be reunited with Nick Chester, Andretti’s technical director, whom he labored with throughout his lengthy stint on the crew often known as Benetton and Renault, which now competes as Alpine.
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“I’ve had the pleasure to work with Pat prior to now and he has a wealth of data we will draw upon,” stated Chester. “Pat will convey experience throughout technical areas and crew operations in his function as govt engineering advisor that can assist us develop the crew.”
Symonds, 70, arrived in F1 with the Toleman crew when it entered the sequence in 1981, and remained there for nearly three a long time. Throughout that point it gained races and championships as Benetton and Renault. Nevertheless Symonds left in shame in 2009 after the FIA dominated he was concerned within the Crashgate conspiracy which gained the crew the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix.
He returned to F1 in 2011 with the Marussia crew. There he labored with Graeme Lowden who has since joined Andretti (pictured above with Symonds). Two years later he moved to Williams, the place he stayed till the tip of 2016.
He later took up a task at System One Administration, devising a radical overhaul of the sequence’ technical laws which was launched in 2022. He has since labored on the following guidelines set, due for introduction in 2026, when F1 will change its energy unit formulation for the primary time since 2014.
