Rumour the first - Toro Rosso

21/07/2012

12 Comments

 
One of the big stories of the German Grand Prix weekend has been Giorgio Ascanelli's surprise departure from Toro Rosso.

While the team have done their best to avoid confirming that they have parted ways with the popular Italian, the story doing the rounds of the paddock is that his dismissal was ordered by the big kahunas at Red Bull after Toro Rosso's disappointing season.

What Toro Rosso need is an aerodynamics specialist.

And - according to what an unnamed but very reliable source just told me - that specialist is ex-Sauber technical director James Key, who has been on gardening leave since just before the pre-season test in Jerez.

Assuming Key's leave was the standard nine months, that should see an announcement at the end of the season. But these contracts can be renegotiated if there's enough money involved, so keep your eyes peeled for a Key to Toro Rosso announcement.

And when you do see it, remember you read it here first, m'kay?
 


Comments

Kris Boardman
21/07/2012 20:27

Would be a great appointment for STR if your "unnamed but very reliable source" is correct.

I may be dreaming this but wasn't Key meant to be working for Lotus (as in the car company and not the F1 team) and also was something mentioned when he left Sauber about not liking re-locating from the UK to abroad?

I guess concerns / issues like this are often overcome with a nice sized pay raise :-)

Kris

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Kate link
21/07/2012 22:06

I'd be very surprised if this particular source was wrong. But stranger things have happened...

He was/is doing the LMP stuff for Lotus, but as you say he could have been made a better offer. Or, if he was a Bahar hire by Group, he may find that DRB-Hicom are scaling back their involvement. I don't know, to be honest.

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dansus
21/07/2012 21:50

Thought Key was supposed to be working on Lotus LMP project?

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Kate link
21/07/2012 22:07

He was. But he might have had a better offer, or DRB-Hicom might have scaled back the project in an attempt to save money post-Bahar. I don't really know - but I do trust my source.

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Leigh O'Gorman link
21/07/2012 21:54

Wasn't Key supposed to be working on Lotus' 2014 LMP1 car or is that programme faltering too?

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Kate link
21/07/2012 22:09

I would like to confirm that we are extending our commitment to LMP by... ;p

Dunno, really - as I've said above, he could have been lured back or he might have found there's less money for GL motorsport in a post-Bahar world.

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Leigh O'Gorman link
21/07/2012 22:35

Interesting. Will have a gander - there's seemingly nowt from Lotus' to indicate things slowing down with their LMP programme.

Kate link
21/07/2012 22:37

Yeah, it's not anything I know for sure - just hazarding guesses at this point.

But given Key's work designing this year's Sauber, which started the season with what Paul Hembery called the best car in terms of overall aero balance, it doesn't surprise me that Toro Rosso want him.

Alianora La Canta link
22/07/2012 21:12

Considering Lotus' performance in LMP2, it wouldn't surprise me if LMP1 was being re-thought in any case. It may also be that Toro Rosso persuaded James that Italy isn't Switzerland and that he may find moving to Faenza easier than moving to Hinwil was.

Kate link
22/07/2012 21:46

Both likely scenarios. I want to know more!

Leigh O'Gorman link
22/07/2012 21:52

Lotus haven't entered LMP2 yet - they're merely sponsoring the Rebellion Lola team.

Alianora La Canta link
25/07/2012 19:53

Lotus are only sponsoring another team, they're not lending technical assistance? Ah, that explains a lot. (I know Rebellion are usually good, but if Lotus wants control of its destiny, it needs to be running its own team).

Perhaps that says something about the marketing. Because as it stands, what people will see is the Lotus LMP2 team retiring from the only two races it has entered so far this year.




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