Chester leaves Renault F1 team in "major" technical reshuffle

Nick Chester has left his role as Renault technical director following the end of the 2019 Formula 1 season.

The French manufacturer announced Chester’s departure - which comes after a 20-year spell working at Enstone – as part of a “major restructuring plan” of its UK technical department. Chester will now begin an unspecified period of gardening leave.

Chester joined Renault in 2000 and occupied numerous roles as he worked his way up the ranks before becoming chassis technical director ahead of the 2013 season. He has been responsible for the design and development of every F1 car to come out of Enstone since.

It comes after Renault ended the 2019 F1 season fifth in the constructors’ championship, having been beaten to fourth spot by chief midfield rivals McLaren. The team had hoped to move closer to the likes of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull this year after finishing fourth in 2018 but slipped back down the pecking order.

“I have enjoyed 19 years in a team with great spirit and have worked with an incredibly loyal and talented group of people,” Chester said.

“I am looking forward to a new challenge and wish everybody in the team all the best for the future.”

Earlier this month, Renault announced ex-McLaren and Ferrari engineer Pat Fry would rejoin the team once he is free of his ongoing contractual obligations at Woking.

Renault F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul added: “Nick has been a key part of Enstone for almost 20 years.

“His passion for the team has never wavered, despite experiencing some extremely challenging times.

“More recently, his commitment, technical insight and enthusiasm have inspired us to move from the back of the grid to the front of the midfield.

“We would like to sincerely thank Nick for everything and wish him every success in the next stage of his career.”