The French engineer will effectively take over the role that Tim Goss had held at the FIA until the end of last year, before leaving the governing body to take over Racing Bulls.
Monchaux will report directly to Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA's long-standing single-seater director, having joined the Federation in 2018. The French engineer will have similar responsibilities to Goss and will play a key role in formulating the new rules for 2026, which will be finalized later this year.
Monchaux has a long career in F1, having started with Toyota in 2002, where he served as head of aerodynamics until the Japanese manufacturer left the top flight at the end of 2009.
In the following season he moved to Ferrari, again in the aerodynamic department, where he remained until the end of 2012. After a period away from F1, where he worked at Audi since 2013, Monchaux returned to Grand Prix racing in 2018, when he joined Sauber as their new head of aerodynamics. After the departure of Simone Resta in 2019, who in the meantime had returned to Ferrari, Monchaux had been promoted to the role of technical director, at least before leaving the team last season following the arrival of James Key.
Jan Monchaux, Technical Director, Alfa Romeo, in the team principals' Press Conference
Photo by: FIA Pool
Monchaux's appointment comes in a context in which the FIA has lost several high-level figures in recent months, including Goss himself, sporting director Steve Nielsen and two key figures in the Federation's legal department.
Nikolas Tombazis, FIA Director for Single Seater, said: “I am thrilled to welcome Jan to the FIA to play an important role in the technical department and in defining the future regulations of the sport. Jan's arrival will strengthen our vast technical experience”.
Monchaux said: “I am very happy to be joining the FIA as Technical Director and I am looking forward to taking on the new challenges that this role brings. I have worked on the competitor side for many years, but now the opportunity to Helping to shape the future of the sport with the FIA is a prospect I greatly appreciate.”
Earlier in the year, the FIA announced that Nielsen would be replaced by Tim Malyon, who had previously served as director of safety. The FIA said Malyon will “oversee all sporting matters, including race direction and the Geneva Remote Operations Centre”, while Niels Wittich will remain in his role as race director.
The shake-up within the governing body has sparked some concern from F1 team bosses, with Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff hoping the FIA could find greater stability in the future.
“It's worrying to see so many good people leaving. Losing Steve Nielsen is a hard blow. I couldn't think of a more prepared and correct sporting director,” said Wolff.
“As leaders, it's important to have the culture and environment you create for people to thrive. When such competent people leave an organization there is a void. That's clear. And you have to ask yourself why suddenly so many people have decided to stop working.
“What of [la FIA] what it needs is stability. The FIA is one of the three main players in the sport [insieme alla FOM e ai team]”.
#FIA #Jan #Monchaux #technical #director
