alphatauri – The Fastest Sector

Flashback Friday: Monza 2020!

Source: MostlyF1.com

With 2023 coming to an end, it is time for our last Flashback Friday of the year! Monza 2020 was an epic event with an unexpected podium after it was the first race since Hungry 2012 to not have a Mercedes, RedBull, or Ferrari on the podium! Pierre Gasly accomplished his first Formula 1 race win and emotions were high for everyone involved.

It was Mercedes teammates, Lewis Hamilton and Valteri Bottas who sat on the front row of the grid with eventual race winner Gasly starting in 10^th for Alphatauri Honda. It was an exciting first lap with Hamilton getting a good start and heading into the lead of the race. Bottas on the other hand had an awful start letting both Mclaren’s of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz past him.

Source: F1.com

Sebastian Vettel in his Ferrari had a break failure in lap 6 sending him through the polystyrene barriers but coming to a stop safely off the track. On lap 19 the Haas of Kevin Magnussen experienced engine issues, coming to a stop on the side of the tack. The safety car was brought out to allow for its safe removal. The pit lane was closed at the same time the safety car was deployed however Hamilton and Mercedes still came in to change tyres. On lap 22 the pit lane reopened with all cars except Hamilton coming in to change tyres and the green flag to go racing again came on lap 24.

Lap 25 saw Charles Leclerc send his Ferrari into the barriers at the Parabolica in a huge accident, bringing the safety car straight back out. Due to the immense damage to the tyre barriers, the race was red flagged to allow for necessary repairs. Hamilton received a 10-second stop-go penalty for entering the pitlane while closed.

Source: GrandPrix247.com

The race resumed with a standing grid start on lap 28 with Hamilton still in the lead and Lance Stroll for Racing Point close behind him. Gasly restarted the race in third but overtook Stroll on the restart putting him into second place. When Hamilton pitted on lap 29 and served his penalty it sent him tumbling down to the back of the grid in 17^th place. Lap 31 had Max Verstappen in the RedBull retire due to engine issues.

It was a close race the end end with Sainz and Stroll fighting hard against Kimi Raikkonen for podium places. Hamilton began to move back through the field, and it was close, tight racing all the way through. The battle for first was intense with only 0.3 seconds being between Gasly and Sainz during the final lap.

Source: TheRace.com

In the end it was Gasly who prevailed, finishing 0.4 seconds in front of Sainz. It was Stroll who took the last podium place of Monza 2020. Fastest lap went to Lewis Hamilton who had worked his way back up to 7^thposition. It was an emotional day for the Gasly and the Alphtauri Honda team and not one they would forget any time soon.

Written by Cesca.

F1 Crews: James Key

James Key is a highly regarded figure in the world of Formula One, known for his exceptional engineering skills and contributions to various teams in the sport. Often seen in the media conferences for the technical bits and with a career spanning several decades, he is widely recognized for his technical expertise and leadership abilities. In the 3rd installment of our F1 Crews series, let’s delve into the life and career of James Key!

James Key was born on January 14, 1972, in England. From a young age, he exhibited a passion for engineering, which ultimately led him to pursue a career in motorsport and eventually ventured into F1. Key attended the University of Nottingham, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering.

Key’s first steps into the top flight of motorsports began in the 1990s when he joined Jordan Grand Prix as a data engineer. His exceptional technical analytical abilities quickly caught the attention of the team’s management, swiftly climbing the ranks; becoming the head of vehicle dynamics for Jordan.

In 2005, Key joined the Super Aguri team as the chief designer, where he played a crucial role in the development of the race cars. Despite the team’s limited resources, Key’s expertise and resourcefulness allowed Super Aguri to achieve punch above its weight performances on several occasions.

In 2010, James Key transitioned to Sauber (now Alfa Romeo Racing) as the team’s Technical Director. During his tenure, Key oversaw the design and development of the team’s cars, contributing significantly to their improved performance. His ability to extract the best out of limited resources and optimize car performance on a tight budget was highly regarded within the paddock.

Key’s engineering prowess did not go unnoticed, and in 2013, he joined the Toro Rosso team (now AlphaTauri) as their Technical Director. At Toro Rosso, Key played a pivotal role in transforming the team’s technical department, revamping its infrastructure, and establishing new design processes. Under his guidance, Toro Rosso consistently produced competitive cars and achieved notable successes, including podium finishes.

In 2019, Key made a significant move to McLaren Racing as their Technical Director. Joining the team during their rebuilding phase, Key has been instrumental in McLaren’s resurgence over his term. His expertise in car development and race strategy has played a key role in the team’s return to the front of the grid.

As of today, James has been confirmed to join Alfa Romeo (formerly Sauber, soon to be Audi’s works team or at least majority stakeholder). He will be joining in his former role of Technical Director before Mclaren’s management restructure to accommodate Andreas Seidel (Check out his F1 Crews article!) leaving, also for Alfa Romeo. With his old leader along with him and the faith of the management, he will join his new role in an attempt to breathe fresh CFD air into the team. We look forward to seeing him in the sport!

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