09/04/2014
NEWS STORY
Red Bull has announced that Dan Fallows becomes Head of Aerodynamics with immediate effect.
Fallows has worked as part of the team’s aerodynamic department for many years. Previously working as a Team Leader (Aerodynamics), he left the team for a short time last year. He has now returned to Red Bull to begin working in his new role.
At the same time the world champions have confirmed that Peter Prodromou has commenced a period of gardening leave (ahead of a move to McLaren) and thanked him for his valuable contribution during his time with the team.
News of Prodromou's return to McLaren first emerged last October. "He's signed a contract with us," Martin Whitmarsh told reporters at Suzuka, though he was unable to say when Prodromou would take up the post.
Speaking at the official qualifying press conference, pole-man Mark Webber and teammate Sebastian Vettel spoke highly of Prodromou, admitting they were surprised by the move.
"We've enjoyed a long relationship with Peter and he's a valuable member of the team," said Christian Horner. "There's still quite a duration left on his contract... we won't force him to stay, and it's his choice to leave at the end of his contract, but we are quite some way off that."
Indeed, the contract is understood to run until the end of this year.
While there is no doubting Fallows ability, many believe the loss of Prodromou will hurt the Austrian team. Speaking in November, Ross Brawn paid tribute to the Englishman.
"I have never worked with Peter but he has the reputation of being a strong engineer and obviously has been involved with some very successful projects, so there will be a change," he told the Guardian. "I don't think any team can lose someone of that experience and calibre without it having some impact.
"It happens in F1 all the time," he added. "Red Bull are where they are because they took Adrian out of McLaren. It's the nature of F1. It's fairly incestuous."
Prodromou joined Red Bull in 2007, a year after the recruitment of Adrian Newey, having previously spent fifteen years with McLaren as CFD analyst, Project Engineer in the aerodynamics department and Head of Aerodynamic Design, before being appointed Chief Aerodynamicist in 2005. In 2007 he moved to Milton Keynes in the same capacity.
Chris Balfe