Jaguar Racing’s car for the 2002 F1 season, the R3, has been beset with aerodynamic problems. Improvements have not been forthcoming, and the team’s acclaimed technical director, Steve Nichols, has been forced to resign with immediate effect.
CARtoday.com reported recently that the R3 challenger, which has been consistently slower than its 2001-spec predecessor in testing, appeared to have a fundamental design flaw with its front wing.
On Monday, the team issued statement that read: “Jaguar Racing and Steve Nichols have jointly agreed that there is a need for the design and the development activities of the Company to receive fresh impetus and direction… Accordingly, Steve has tendered his resignation with immediate effect.”
Nichols will be replaced in the interim by Jaguar Racing’s managing director, Gunther Steiner, at least until a permanent replacement is found. Steiner joined the team last year from Ford’s rally programme.
The move leaves Nichols out of a job just 14 months after being hired by former Jaguar boss Bobby Rahal. The American announced Nichols as the replacement for Gary Anderson on his first official day at the team in December 2000.
The former McLaren technical director was charged with turning around Jaguar’s disappointing fortunes, a task that he admitted would not be easy at the time of his employment, reported on Monday.
Jaguar netted just nine points and an eighth place in the constructors’ championship after another tumultuous season in 2001. The team tried to poach Adrian Newey from McLaren to take over as technical director, only for the star designer to change his mind and remain loyal to the Woking-based team.
Nichols was a senior design engineer at McLaren from 1980-89, then had spells at Ferrari and Jordan as chief designer. He returned to McLaren in a behind-the-scenes role as head of future projects before joining Jaguar.
