Fry leaving Alpine to become chief technical officer at Williams

Williams has signed experienced engineer Pat Fry from Alpine to be the team’s new chief technical officer.

Fry has been at Alpine in the same CTO role since early 2022, having previously joined from McLaren in 2020 as chassis technical director. His short spell at McLaren was his second after a 17-year stay in an engineering capacity, that preceded a move to Ferrari in 2010 and a stint at Manor.

Williams has been without a technical director since FX Demaison left over the winter -- alongside former team principal Jost Capito -- and Fry will start work on Nov. 1.

“I am thrilled to be joining Williams Racing as chief technical officer,” Fry said. “The team has a rich heritage in Formula 1, and I am excited to contribute to its future success. I believe in the team’s potential and, together, we will strive for excellence on and off the track.”

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Fry’s arrival is the first senior technical hiring announced by Williams under current team principal James Vowles, who was targeting a leader who wanted to take the team forward over a long-term period.

“On behalf of all at Williams Racing, I’m delighted to be welcoming Pat,” Vowles said. “His knowledge and experience will further strengthen the team’s technical capabilities and pursuit of excellence as we build the next chapter of Williams. Pat has been a core part of winning teams throughout his career, he is one of the most respected experts in our industry and I’m excited to begin work with him when he joins in November.”

Fry’s move from Alpine to Williams comes at the same time as Otmar Szafnauer and Alan Permane leaving the team by mutual agreement.