Pat Fry will officially begin work in his new role as Renault technical director (chassis) on Febr👍uary 5 ahead of the 20𝓡20 Formula 1 season.

Fry will rejoin the team he began his F1 career with durin🥀g its Benetton era prior to the start of the new campaign once he is free of his contractual obligations with former team McLaren.

On Monday, Renault re🌼leased a short statement confirming Fry would start work on February 5 and that he will also attend the team’s launch of its 2020 challenger on February 12 in Paris, one week before pre-season testing gets underway at Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-C🐎atalunya.

Fry’s position has also been officially revealed, with the ex-Ferrari and McLaren man set to takeover responsibility for Renault’s chassis development, a role previously carrie⛄d out by Nick Chester, who left his position at the end of last season after 20 years at Enstone.

It marks a “major” technical reshuffle at the French manufacturer following a disappointing 2019 sea🅰son, in which it failed to achieve its aim 🏅of closing the gap to F1’s leading three teams Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

Renault ultimately slipped to fifth in the constructors’ championship, behind midfield rivals and customer team McLa🥀ren.

Fry joins ♒recent acquisition Dir🐎k de Beer, who was signed as head of aero following his departure from Williams, in the technical shake-up ahead of the 2020 season. 

Highly-rated Esteban Ocon has replaced Nico Hulkenberg to complete Renault’s driver line-൲up alongside big-money signing Daniel Ricciardo for the forthcoming campaign.