McLaren extends F1 contract with aero chief Prodromou

The McLaren Components 1 staff has prolonged the contract of its aerodynamics chief Peter Prodromou, who performed a key half in its 2024 constructors’ title.

The staff introduced on Tuesday that Prodromou would proceed in his capability of aerodynamics technical director on a long-term deal because it intends to maintain collectively the squad that returned it to the entrance of F1 over the previous two seasons.

“It’s my nice privilege to substantiate the extension of Peter’s contract on a multi-year deal,” stated staff principal Andrea Stella. “The cultural, organisational and technical management Peter has introduced has been invaluable, and he has been a key architect of the staff’s efficiency turnaround, on and off the monitor, securing the staff’s ninth constructors’ championship in 2024.

“The journey now we have been on collectively as a staff, we couldn’t have completed with out Peter, and we look ahead to persevering with our quest of preventing for additional World Championships collectively.”

Prodromou added: “I’m delighted to proceed my function as Technical Director, Aerodynamics at McLaren F1 Crew. It’s an honour to be a part of such a collaborative staff and contributing to this sturdy upwards trajectory.

“Following final season’s success, I look ahead to contributing additional to our shared ambition of securing extra world championships. I’m grateful to Zak and Andrea for his or her continued confidence in me as a Technical Director, Aerodynamics and likewise to all my colleagues within the staff who’ve offered the best class of help to me at a private {and professional} degree.”

Photograph by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Pictures

Prodromou is considered one of McLaren’s longest-serving members, having first joined its design workplace in 1991. He rose to the ranks to grow to be chief aerodynamicist earlier than leaving for Crimson Bull in 2006, however then returned to McLaren in 2014 as chief engineer.

His function at McLaren expanded below the management of incoming staff boss Stella in 2023, with Stella selling Prodromou to aerodynamics technical director as a part of a three-pronged management construction, which additionally closely leans on engineering chief Neil Houldey and chief designer Rob Marshall.

On the time Stella felt that below the earlier technical construction Prodromou’s abilities had not been absolutely exploited.

“In aerodynamics, we needed to have a technical director that leads aerodynamics. Full empowerment to this technical director,” Stella stated when he introduced his new construction in 2023. “And we needed to unleash a really sturdy useful resource that we had internally, and that, for some causes was under-utilised, like Peter Prodromou, some of the competent specialists in F1 in relation to aerodynamics.

“This wasn’t occurring as effectively because it ought to have occurred, so that is one thing we needed to repair. And it completely suits the mannequin on the similar time by giving aerodynamics clear management, clear steering as to the ideas that we needed to develop and result in the automobile.”