The official confirmation of his relocation is expected to be announced in Spa today, with his commencement in the new position scheduled for the end of this year.
Williams has been without a technical leader since the departure of Francois-Xavier Demaison in December as part of the management shake-up that also saw team principal Jost Capito leave.
New team principal James Vowles made it clear from the off that finding a new technical chief as well as a head of aerodynamics was a key priority, although he stressed that he would take his time and wait for the right candidate to be available and free of gardening leave.
Vowles also emphasized that the team’s enhanced performance and stable financial situation are appealing to prospective staff members.
“I believe I can inform you that as individuals maintain a confident demeanor in this setting, others also direct their attention towards us,” he recently conveyed to Motorsport.com.
“I believe that everyone has come to understand that the investment is genuine and the intended path is genuine.”
“I have been openly expressing my views on this matter in F1 Commissions. I possess the financial resources and I am willing to invest them in order to establish a system based on merit. However, this is also drawing the attention of individuals who recognize that we are making progress towards our goals.”
Alex Albon, Williams FW45
Photo by: Williams
The 59-year-old Fry currently serves as chief technical officer of Alpine, having joined the Enstone outfit for a second stint for the start of the 2020 season.
He began his F1 career with the then-Benetton team in 1987, working on active suspension and latterly serving as a race engineer.
In 1993, he became a part of McLaren while Ayrton Senna was still a member of the Woking team. He was involved in the development of active suspension until it was prohibited. Subsequently, he transitioned into a race engineering position and eventually took on the role of chief engineer for the 2005, 2007, and 2009 cars in different years.
In 2010, he joined Ferrari as an assistant technical director. Since then, he has held various positions within the company, such as head of trackside engineering and director of chassis.
Nevertheless, he departed from the team following their challenging 2014 season, which marked the introduction of hybrid regulations.
Fry worked as an engineering consultant for Manor Racing during the 2016 and 2017 seasons, and later made a short return to McLaren in a temporary role.
His return to Enstone and the then-Renault team was announced in November 2019. It’s understood that he is still working at Alpine for the time being, however his departure will mean further changes to the management structure as the team continues to undergo a shake-up.
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