Pat Fry
Encyclopedia
Pat Fry is an English
motor racing engineer
, presently the "technical director for the chassis division" of the Scuderia Ferrari
Formula One
team (having been assistant technical director under Aldo Costa
before the position was removed due to management restructuring at the team).
, Surrey
, England
. After attempting several engineering courses, he became an apprentice at Thorn EMI
in 1981. While at Thorn EMI, he completed a day-release course in electronics at the City of London Polytechnic. He moved onto Thorn's missile programmes, before deciding to leave the company in 1987 to pursue a career in motorsport.
systems. He moved to the test team, and then to the teams Godalming research and development department. He returned to the test team in , before being made Martin Brundle
's race engineer in .
's race engineer in , he returned to the McLaren test team in despite rumours linking him with a move to Ferrari
. He renewed his contract with McLaren in to become David Coulthard
's race engineer, a role he held for four years. He moved to a tactical coordinating role in , overseeing both the team's race cars. In 2002 he was promoted to the role of Chief Engineer of Race Development, and was responsible for the MP4-20, MP4-22 and MP4-24 chassis.
as head of race track engineering, while retaining his assistant technical director position under Aldo Costa
. The change was made following a tactical error in the last race
of the 2010 season which cost Fernando Alonso
a chance at the title. On 24 May 2011, Aldo Costa was moved to an undefined position within the team and so Fry, after management restructuring, was given the job as "director of chassis" with the position of "technical director" being removed outright. "Chassis director" is one of 3 position (the other two being: "production director" - currently filled by Corrado Lanzone; and "electronics director" - currently filled by Luca Marmorini
). All 3 engineering positions operate on an equal footing within the team and all report directly to team boss Domenicali who has now taken over responsibility regarding on circuit strategy and other functions previously assigned to "technical director".
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
motor racing engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, presently the "technical director for the chassis division" of the Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
team (having been assistant technical director under Aldo Costa
Aldo Costa
Aldo Costa is an Italian engineer and former Technical Director of the Ferrari Formula One team.Costa was born in Parma. After school, he continued studying and graduated from the University of Bologna in mechanical engineering....
before the position was removed due to management restructuring at the team).
Early career
Fry was born in SheppertonShepperton
Shepperton is a town in the borough of Spelthorne, Surrey, England. To the south it is bounded by the river Thames at Desborough Island and is bisected by the M3 motorway...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After attempting several engineering courses, he became an apprentice at Thorn EMI
Thorn EMI
Thorn EMI was a major British company involved in consumer electronics, music, defence and retail. Created in October 1979 when Thorn Electrical Industries merged with EMI, it was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but it demerged again in...
in 1981. While at Thorn EMI, he completed a day-release course in electronics at the City of London Polytechnic. He moved onto Thorn's missile programmes, before deciding to leave the company in 1987 to pursue a career in motorsport.
Benetton: 1987-1993
Fry had an interest in building suspension systems for motorbikes in his spare time, and joined the Benetton Formula One team's research and development department in Witney, Oxfordshire, who at the time were working on active suspensionActive suspension
Active or adaptive suspension is an automotive technology that controls the vertical movement of the wheels with an onboard system rather than the movement being determined entirely by the road surface...
systems. He moved to the test team, and then to the teams Godalming research and development department. He returned to the test team in , before being made Martin Brundle
Martin Brundle
Martin John Brundle is a British racing driver from England, known as a Formula One driver and as an F1 commentator for ITV Sport from 1997 to 2008, the BBC from 2009 to 2011 and Sky Sports from 2012....
's race engineer in .
McLaren: 1993-2010
In , former Benetton colleague Giorgio Ascanelli persuaded Fry to join him at McLaren. His initial position was to work on active suspension systems, and run the McLaren test team, but active suspension systems were banned by the sports governing body before the start of the 1994 season and so Fry moved to an engineering position in the race team. After a season as Mika HäkkinenMika Häkkinen
Mika Pauli Häkkinen is a Finnish racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion...
's race engineer in , he returned to the McLaren test team in despite rumours linking him with a move to Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
. He renewed his contract with McLaren in to become David Coulthard
David Coulthard
David Marshall Coulthard, MBE, , sometimes known as DC, is a British former Formula One racing driver from Scotland.Coulthard, who was born in Dumfries and raised nearby in Twynholm, made his Formula One debut in 1994 and won 13 Grands Prix in a career spanning 15 seasons...
's race engineer, a role he held for four years. He moved to a tactical coordinating role in , overseeing both the team's race cars. In 2002 he was promoted to the role of Chief Engineer of Race Development, and was responsible for the MP4-20, MP4-22 and MP4-24 chassis.
Ferrari: 2010-present
After his departure from McLaren was announced on 14 May 2010, on 22 June, it was announced that Fry was to join the Ferrari team as assistant technical director from 1 July. On 4 January 2011 Ferrari announced that Fry replaced Chris DyerChris Dyer
Chris Dyer is the former race engineer of Michael Schumacher and Kimi Räikkönen at Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro and currently an engineer of the team. Born in Bendigo, Victoria,-Early career:...
as head of race track engineering, while retaining his assistant technical director position under Aldo Costa
Aldo Costa
Aldo Costa is an Italian engineer and former Technical Director of the Ferrari Formula One team.Costa was born in Parma. After school, he continued studying and graduated from the University of Bologna in mechanical engineering....
. The change was made following a tactical error in the last race
2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
The 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 14 November 2010 at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, an island on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. It was the 19th and last round of the 2010 Formula One season...
of the 2010 season which cost Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari....
a chance at the title. On 24 May 2011, Aldo Costa was moved to an undefined position within the team and so Fry, after management restructuring, was given the job as "director of chassis" with the position of "technical director" being removed outright. "Chassis director" is one of 3 position (the other two being: "production director" - currently filled by Corrado Lanzone; and "electronics director" - currently filled by Luca Marmorini
Luca Marmorini
Luca Marmorini is the head of the engine and electronics department at the Ferrari Formula One team.Marmorini started his Formula One career with Ferrari in , which he joined after completing a mechanical doctorate. He stayed with Ferrari until , when he joined Toyota as it prepared to enter...
). All 3 engineering positions operate on an equal footing within the team and all report directly to team boss Domenicali who has now taken over responsibility regarding on circuit strategy and other functions previously assigned to "technical director".