Sauber have suffered a blow ahead of the new Formula 1 season with the news that technical director James Key has left the team.
Key, who has been with the squad since the beginning of 2010, has decided to take a job closer to his home in the United Kingdom.
“I’ve enjoyed the past two years working at the Sauber F1 Team,” Key said. “It has been a very intense and interesting time, in which we had to manage the transition from a much larger team (BMW) to a smaller one, and everybody handled that very well.
“I think the team is now well set for the future and I wish it the very best. I have been offered a new role back in the UK, which I decided to accept.”
Team principal Peter Sauber revealed that Key will not be directly replaced, with his former duties set to be shared amongst the respective heads of the aerodynamics, design, performance and operations departments.
“A qualified team shares the overall technical responsibility," said Sauber. "This structure has proved to work well at other racing outfits.
"Over a period of almost two years, James has accomplished a lot for our team. Especially in the difficult transition period from a manufacturer team into a private enterprise, he contributed significantly to ensure the team regained stability.
"We would like to thank him for his efforts and wish him all the best for his future.”