Renault confirms Pat Fry’s start date, role for 2020 F1 season

Pat Fry will officially begin work in his new role as Renault technical director (chassis) on February 5 ahead of the 2020 Formula 1 season.

Fry will rejoin the team he began his F1 career with during its Benetton era prior to the start of the new campaign once he is free of his contractual obligations with former team McLaren.

On Monday, Renault released a short statement confirming Fry would start work on February 5 and that he will also attend the team’s launch of its 2020 challenger on February 12 in Paris, one week before pre-season testing gets underway at Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Fry’s position has also been officially revealed, with the ex-Ferrari and McLaren man set to takeover responsibility for Renault’s chassis development, a role previously carried out by Nick Chester, who left his position at the end of last season after 20 years at Enstone.

It marks a “major” technical reshuffle at the French manufacturer following a disappointing 2019 season, in which it failed to achieve its aim of closing the gap to F1’s leading three teams Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

Renault ultimately slipped to fifth in the constructors’ championship, behind midfield rivals and customer team McLaren.

Fry joins recent acquisition Dirk de Beer, who was signed as head of aero following his departure from Williams, in the technical shake-up ahead of the 2020 season. 

Highly-rated Esteban Ocon has replaced Nico Hulkenberg to complete Renault’s driver line-up alongside big-money signing Daniel Ricciardo for the forthcoming campaign.