DJ Downforce wrote: ↑21 Jan 2025, 13:54
Let's hope they fire James Key soon
I’ve been wondering about him for quite some time. While I don’t have anything concrete to go on other than his results with McLaren previously and Sauber now I can’t help but feel that he isn’t the right guy for the job. Maybe he's a great engineer but not as great as leading an engineering team.
His stint at Torro Rosso is hard to read because of the relationship they have with Red Bull might make things better or worse depending. His stint at McLaren was fairly atrocious concerning car design which I don’t think had anything to do with the design team around him as shown by the turnaround made within season almost immediately by the same design team. There was the accusation that he sidelined people in McLaren and didn’t give people the design freedom that they deserved. It was also said during his time that McLaren car had a bad aero and suspension relationship which is more important in this rules cycle than previously. I wonder if this same disconnect has been brought to Sauber.
Now coming onto Sauber the car is both slow and hard to drive. If it was slow but easy to drive then at least it can be assumed that the engineering team can add downforce throughout the season probably at the cost of drive ability.
It can be said that the team simply doesn’t have the investment or facilities, as the change in Audi management might be trying to divest, but from my understanding their wind tunnel is still considered fairly modern, not sure about driver in loop simulator or other infrastructure investments.
This brings me back to James Key. The car seems very “detailed” (just look at the wing mirrors) but still doesn’t work which to me means the design team is too focused on details but missing the bigger picture on overall car concept and design. I can’t help but wonder that’s a result of his management or not. It’s hard to ignore his track record, or lack of I should say.
I’ve listened to a few interviews with him from various teams and to me he doesn’t sound very confidence inspiring, if he is at work how he is in interviews I don’t think I’d like to work under him.
From what little I can observe I don’t think he’s the right man for the job at Sauber.
Stake F1 Team Sauber
Hinwil, Zurich, Switzerland
Gabriel Bortoleto 5
Nico HĂĽlkenberg 27
