Breaking News: Stella honors McLaren as they part ways due to…
McLaren Formula 1 chief Andrea Stella has honored the “Samurai” attributes of veteran engineer Hiroshi Imai, who is set to depart from the team in January after more than 15 years.
Imai was among the several former Bridgestone “tire whisperers” recruited by F1 teams to provide additional expertise in that domain.
He became a part of McLaren in May 2009, during the Japanese company’s second-to-last season in the sport, after it was evident that Pirelli held the key to the future.
Starting as a principal engineer, he advanced to chief race engineer in 2017 and director of race engineering by 2021. Despite his broader range of responsibilities, he continued to emphasize tyres.
Though not widely recognized outside the team, he commanded immense respect within the Woking camp.
“Hiroshi has been with McLaren for a considerable period,” Stella remarked. “He has played a pivotal role in the team’s accomplishments throughout the years.”
Since joining McLaren in 2015, Hiroshi has been one of my closest collaborators across various roles including chief race engineer, director of race engineering, and most recently as the director of tyres and brakes. He consistently plays a crucial role in our trackside operations.
He has shared extensive knowledge and expertise on tires, brakes, and operational standards. Known for his integrity and calm demeanor, everyone values his composed nature and excellent organizational skills.
“However, it has consistently been a source of guidance for everyone on the team seeking advice or wise opinions, knowing they could always rely on Hiroshi.”
In discussing Imai’s fighting qualities, he remarked: “There’s an aspect of Hiroshi that we all admire—when it was time to race, the Samurai within him emerged. He became one of the tougher competitors but remained incredibly respectful and exhibited great style.”
We are all incredibly thankful and appreciative of Hiroshi for his contributions to McLaren. He will forever be part of our family, and it brings me great joy that he clinched the World Championship in his final year with us. This accomplishment means he’ll always remember being a World Champion throughout his life.
We wish Hiroshi all the best and are confident that we’ll have more chances to see him in the future.
It is understood that Imai will be heading back to Japan to take on a new position in motorsport instead of joining another Formula 1 team.
