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Pat Symonds

Formula 1 employee

Pat Symonds
Credit: Glenn Dunbar/Williams F1
Vital statistics for Pat Symonds
NationalityGBR

Symonds has been in Formula One since the early 1980s, and has experienced the highs and lows of helping create championship winning cars, as well as playing consultant to backmarker teams. After serving an F1 ban for race-fixing at Renault, Symonds made an advisory return with the Marussia team, before joining Williams full-time as their Chief Technical Officer.

Biography

Symonds’ F1 career began after experience gained in junior racing categories. He joined the Toleman team during the 1980s and remained with them through their days as Benetton and Renault F1. Starting out as a race engineer, Symonds gradually worked his way up to Head of Research and Development, before being promoted to Technical Director.

Following in the footsteps of the outgoing Ross Brawn wasn’t an easy task, but Symonds helped the team to their two world championships in 2004 and 2005, after being promoted to Executive Director of Engineering.

During the 2009 season, Symonds and Renault team principal Flavio Briatore, were found guilty of race-fixing – asking driver Nelson Piquet Jr to deliberately crash during the Singapore Grand Prix the previous year. Initially, the FIA banned Symonds and Briatore for five years, and the Renault team released him from his contract. After legal wranglings, the ban was reduced.

In 2011, Symonds became an advisor to the Marussia F1 team which resulted in the split with then-technical director Nick Wirth. On the very day that his ban was lifted, it was confirmed that Symonds would join Williams F1, taking on the role of Chief Technical Officer. After a dire couple of season, the Williams team had their hopes pinned on Symonds to turn things around for them.

At the end of 2016, it was confirmed that Symonds would be leaving the team, with Claire Williams thanking him for leaving the team stronger than he found it.